The Genius Composer Starts Again - Chapter 57

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

“I don’t need it.”

 

Mun Ah-rin blankly mulled over my words. It seemed like an answer she couldn’t even imagine.

 

“Yeah. It would be nice to receive sponsorship, but it’s not something I absolutely need.”

 

In other words, it was just a plus alpha for me. I’m doing well even now, and I’m confident I’ll succeed with composition.

 

“…Seol is amazing.”

 

Mun Ah-rin’s voice cracked slightly.

 

“Other people are desperately scrambling to grab that opportunity. Everyone put in blood, sweat, and tears at this Scholarship Recital just to catch his attention once.”

 

Her vacant gaze didn’t contain me. Her lips were faintly curved upward, but it was as hollow as a doll’s expression.

 

“But Seol rejected it, saying it wasn’t necessary.”

 

Not necessary. Those words must have been quite shocking, as Mun Ah-rin muttered them once more quietly.

 

Her hands placed under the desk had turned white. Her fingertips seemed to be trembling finely.

 

Looking at such Mun Ah-rin, I spoke as if nothing was wrong.

 

“Yeah. Hearing your story makes me think I did well not to accept it. I almost got into big trouble.”

 

I grinned and asked back.

 

“Right?”

 

“Huh? Y-yeah. That’s right…!”

 

Mun Ah-rin hurriedly nodded, but her smile was awkwardly frozen.

 

Just as I was observing such Mun Ah-rin, I heard a familiar voice from behind.

 

“You’re both here.”

 

I turned my head to check the owner of the voice.

 

It was Cho Yun-je.

 

“This seat’s empty, right?”

 

He pointed to the seat next to me and asked, so I nodded. Then he naturally plopped his bag down on the seat next to me.

 

“Yun-je, you must be really tired~. Seol and I were just talking about that earlier. We think the school is being too harsh.”

 

Mun Ah-rin changed her expression as if nothing had happened and spoke cheerfully. Her bright smile looked no different from the usual Mun Ah-rin.

 

“Yeah. It was hard to get up this morning.”

 

When Cho Yun-je responded briefly, Mun Ah-rin chattered loudly as if for everyone around to hear.

 

“You had such a hard time washing your hair yesterday. You sprayed so much hairspray that your hair kept breaking.”

 

As she laughed brightly, I could feel the surrounding students glancing over.

 

Even if they weren’t official scholarship students, just being on stage at the Scholarship Recital seemed to look similar in other students’ eyes.

 

Especially since the three of us were together like this, it would feel even more so.

 

“Alright, everyone quiet~.”

 

When the Professor entered the lecture hall, the conversation was cut off. The sound of taking attendance followed.

 

I looked at Cho Yun-je’s profile for a moment, then wrote a message at the edge of my textbook.

 

[ Did you cry? ]

 

Tap tap, I tapped Cho Yun-je’s shoulder and showed him the message, and he touched around his eyes then quickly turned his head away.

 

Cho Yun-je hesitated then wrote a reply below.

 

[ Does it show a lot? ]

 

I shook my head.

 

At a glance, he looked no different from the usual Cho Yun-je. But if you looked closely, his reddened, swollen eyelids were noticeable.

 

Of course, I could examine him this closely because I was sitting nearby. Other students wouldn’t know.

 

I scribbled once more.

 

[ Did you talk things through well with your mother? ]

 

Just as I had dinner with Jeong Do-hyun yesterday, didn’t Cho Yun-je spend time with Oh Su-yeon too?

 

I was curious what kind of conversation they had exchanged. Since I was with him through the entire composition process, didn’t I have the right to hear that much?

 

‘The Quest was completed too, and based on what Oh Su-yeon said yesterday, it seems like she won’t oppose Cho Yun-je composing anymore. So the talk must have gone well, right?’

 

That’s what I was thinking when I asked. But Cho Yun-je’s expression was subtle.

 

[ What’s wrong? ]

 

When I pressed him once more, Cho Yun-je slowly wrote down the letters.

 

[ No. The talk went well. Mother was happy too. She acknowledged my skills and cheered me on. ]

 

Then isn’t that a happy ending?

 

But why does he have such a complicated expression? When I looked puzzled, Cho Yun-je continued.

 

[ I’ve wanted this my whole life, but now that it’s happened, I feel kind of strange. ]

 

[ What feels strange? ]

 

[ Just. ]

 

Cho Yun-je hesitated then picked up his pen again.

 

[ It feels too late. ]

 

Too late?

 

I wanted to ask what he meant by that, but Cho Yun-je put down his pen completely and looked straight ahead.

 

Since he seemed to have no intention of continuing the conversation, I also raised my head.

 

‘Come to think of it, there was something I haven’t checked yet.’

 

I called up the system window in my mind.

 

It was a window that appeared right after the Scholarship Recital ended yesterday, but I had closed it without properly checking it, so I was planning to look at it again.

 

[ SYSTEM – V1.0 ]

 

> Congratulations !

 

> You have successfully completed the Scholarship Recital.

 

> Audience Immersion: S

 

> Completeness: A+

 

> Overall Assessment: You delivered a moving performance to those with high standards. Everyone held their breath, and you turned even that silence into part of the music.

 

> Reward: Title ‘Immortal Performer (A)’

 

‘Immortal Performer.’

 

I examined the title I received as a reward.

 

[ SYSTEM – V1.0 ]

 

> Title ‘Immortal Performer (A)’

 

> Description: Beyond death, your music still lives on.

 

> Effects:

 

– Emotional delivery +15%

 

– Audience immersion +10%

 

– Increased audience concentration during ‘performances’ or ‘presentations’

 

– All effects 1.5x for death, frustration, despair themed pieces

 

‘It’s a title specialized for performances.’

 

It would definitely be helpful when actually performing on stage.

 

[ SYSTEM – V1.0 ]

 

> Would you like to equip the title ‘Immortal Performer (A)’?

 

> [ YES / NO ]

 

I hesitated for a moment. The title I was currently wearing was definitely ‘Promising Newcomer (B)’.

 

[ SYSTEM – V1.0 ]

 

> Title ‘Promising Newcomer (B)’

 

> Description: You are recognized as a promising newcomer with expected future growth.

 

> Effects:

 

– +50% probability of favorable rumors spreading within school and industry

 

– +10% probability of new relationship events occurring

 

– +1 level initial favorability applied in future auditions/performances/competitions

 

‘This isn’t bad either.’

 

Of course, ‘Promising Newcomer’ had effects that suited a newcomer just starting out as the name suggested, and it was only B-grade.

 

Still, the increased ‘probability of new relationship events occurring’ alone was a huge merit.

 

I pressed the ‘NO’ button firmly for now.

 

‘I can switch to the Immortal Performer title later when I have to perform on stage.’

 

Thinking that, I now recalled a different window.

 

‘There’s also what I received as a reward for clearing that sub-quest last time.’

 

Among the rewards I received then, there were things like Cho Yun-je and Oh Su-yeon’s trust, but what I was most concerned about was reward number 3.

 

‘The skill, Gem Appraisal.’

 

[ SYSTEM – V1.0 ]

 

> Skill ‘Gem Appraisal (D)’

 

> Description: The world doesn’t recognize them yet, but you know. This person will shine someday.

 

> Effects:

 

– The artistic talent grade of observed individuals is displayed as a faint light.

 

– 1.5% chance to discover undiscovered talent early.

 

‘What is this.’

 

I couldn’t hide my bewilderment.

 

The effect was certainly what I had expected. It would help me discover people that others hadn’t noticed yet.

 

The problem was in the specific details.

 

‘Displayed as a faint light? 1.5% chance?’

 

The talent indication was vague, and the probability of discovering undiscovered talent was too low.

 

‘No, everyone’s talent must be different. It doesn’t even tell me what kind of talent it is?’

 

Even if I discovered someone who was shining, what use would it be if I couldn’t distinguish whether this person’s talent was in piano, guitar, composition, or lyrics?

 

‘Is it because it’s D-grade?’

 

I had gotten B-grade and A-grade titles just fine. Why was the skill reward so stingy?

 

‘Maybe titles are more generous because you can only wear one at a time. Or maybe good skills don’t come out because it’s a sub-quest reward?’

 

It might be both.

 

Maybe I had hoped for too much from clearing a sub-quest rather than a main quest.

 

‘Still, it’s better than having nothing…’

 

Thinking that way seemed to provide some consolation.

 

‘Should I try using it as a test?’

 

I closed my eyes tightly and muttered to myself.

 

‘Skill, Gem Appraisal.’

 

And when I opened my eyes.

 

A completely different world was spread out before me.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————