"What a strange dream. Not only did I dream of music, but I even dreamt of a name." Uriel turned his head to look out the window at the rising sun. "Is that you?" he muttered to himself. "Is that you? Did you bring me the music? "
Uriel sat in a daze for a long time before he slowly got out of bed.
Last night, Butler Cha had told him to come over during the day. If he saw him still in bed, it would not be good.
Uriel got out of bed and tidied up his blanket.
But as he did so, he froze. Why do I suddenly care about what others think?
Ever since his partner died, Uriel had moved here. Every day, he lived in a drunken stupor. He did not care about what others thought of him. He relied on alcohol to numb his memories and reach his destination in a muddled state.
He had gotten used to this decadent lifestyle. It was difficult for him to pull himself together again.
It was easy to fall, but difficult to climb back up.
As usual, Uriel would get out of bed, listen to music, laugh at himself, buy alcohol, drink, and die in a drunken stupor.
But for some reason, Uriel did not feel like doing any of that today.
He was even a little tired of these depressing activities.
It was as if half of the haze in his heart had been swept away in a single day.
Why did this happen?
Uriel pondered for a long time. Finally, he concluded that it was because of the Black Sheep Confession.
"Are you not used to my life? Are you trying to wake me up through music? To cleanse me of my sins? "
Uriel let out a long sigh and went to the bathroom.
It had been a long time since he had last cleaned up his face. He trimmed his messy beard and trimmed his messy hair. After a while, the man in the mirror raised his head.
Although the man in the mirror looked much older than his peers, at least he was much more spirited than his previous dejected appearance.
Looking at his new self in the mirror, Uriel wanted to say, "I'm back." It was both for himself and for those who had passed away.
But after some thought, he decided that talking to himself in front of the mirror was too childish for his age. He suppressed the urge and muttered his own name in his heart.
When he came out of the bathroom, the sun had already shone through the broken glass, illuminating half of the attic.
The temperature continued to rise.
Even though it was morning, the sun still made people feel hot all over.
Uriel didn't mind the temperature though. He reached into the deepest part of the cabinet and pulled out a set of costume. It was a tight black tuxedo.
This was once Uriel's favorite costume.
After feeling dispirited, he used it as a bottomless pit. Now that the costume had seen the light of day again, it was no longer as shiny as before. There were even some spots of mold on it, but Uriel didn't mind at all. He put it on.
The thick tuxedo and the rising temperature made Uriel's forehead damp.
He didn't care about his body that was gradually oozing sweat. Instead, he took a deep breath and came to the piano.
The reason he was so serious about fixing his appearance and dressing up properly was for the next performance. Yes, he planned to play the Black Sheep Confession again.
Although he had already played the zither last night, his mood at that time was completely different from now.
At that time, he was immersed in the present.
But now, he wanted to bid farewell to the past.
And the "Black Sheep Confession" was the watershed for this change in mood. It was also an important fork in the road of life that he believed to be.
Therefore, he had to sit up straight and perform seriously. Only then would he live up to the expectations of his "old friend."
He exhaled a long breath, and then took a deep breath back.
As his abdomen rose and fell, Uriel's fingers finally moved across the keys.
His fingers became a blur, dancing like a swarm of bees. The crisp sound of the zither quickly spread through the attic, echoing endlessly.
With no one around, Uriel was able to perform the song without fear of repercussions.
Sweat dripped from his forehead as the music was pushed to new heights. It was as if Uriel had become one with the music.
A few minutes later, the song came to an end.
Uriel's movements were frozen.
The sun shone down. Uriel, still in his costume, raised his hands high. He looked like a wax statue. But he didn't look lifeless like a wax statue. Instead, he glowed like a great artist in the midst of glory.
After what seemed like an eternity, Uriel finally stopped.
He unbuttoned his shirt and pants, one button at a time, until he was naked.
His body was very tired, and every part of his body was soaked in sweat. However, he was very happy in his heart, and the smile on his face reached his eyes.
He felt like he had come back to life.
…
Late in the morning.
Butler Cha arrived as promised, carrying a suitcase full of clothes.
The clothes inside were not the dirty ones from last night. Even if they could be cleaned overnight, it would be difficult to dry them.
Moreover, they were all out of season.
Butler Cha's clothes were all new from the season.
In addition to the clothes, Butler Cha also brought two servants to help him clean up the messy room.
The first floor was the same as yesterday, littered with messy furniture and broken wine bottles. The two servants immediately picked up the trash. Judging from their practiced movements, this wasn't their first time here.
Butler Cha went to the second floor, preparing to help Uriel clean up his bedroom, which was also the attic.
Based on past experience, Uriel's bedroom door was filled with scattered clothes and the stench of alcohol.
But today, when Butler Cha opened the door, he froze. The room was clean and tidy, all the mess in its place. Even the air was filled with a light fragrance.
"You're here?"
Butler Cha followed the voice to see Uriel in a light, short-sleeved shirt, sitting at the table with a pen in his hand. He seemed to be writing something.
Most importantly, when Uriel turned his head to talk to him, Butler Cha saw his clean face and neatly combed hair.
What … what was going on?
Young Master Uriel had changed overnight?
Butler Cha's eyes were filled with surprise and a trace of joy that gradually spread out.
Had the young master figured it out?
Butler Cha was ecstatic. When he arrived last night, Uriel had been playing the guqin. At that time, he had sensed a change in Uriel. Now that he was here, the change was even more obvious.
Had the young master finally walked out of the haze?
Butler Cha wanted to ask, but he didn't dare. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back down. It was a feeling of homesickness, of longing, but not daring to face it.
In the end, Butler Cha suppressed his thoughts and kept telling himself, Wait a few more days, wait a few more days …
It wouldn't be too late to ask after he was sure Master Uriel had figured it out.
With that in mind, Butler Cha changed his tone. "Young master, you seem to be in high spirits today. Who are you writing to?"
Butler Cha was certain it was a letter because he saw the envelope beside it. Although there were no words on it, he guessed it was because the letter wasn't finished.
Uriel casually inserted his quill into the ink bottle and nodded. "Yes, but halfway through, he hesitated."
"Oh? What's the matter? "
The room was clean enough that he didn't need to clean it up. Butler Cha moved behind Uriel to play the role of a listener.
Uriel had never thought of asking for help, but for some reason, he was in a particularly good mood today. His desire to talk was stronger than usual.
Moreover, the one asking the question was Butler Cha, who had loved him since he was a child. Uriel thought for a moment, then voiced his confusion. "Butler Cha, when you came last night, you should have heard the music I played, right?"
Butler Cha nodded. "It was beautiful, but I don't think it's appropriate to talk about it in front of members of the Church of Glory."
Butler Cha didn't understand the core of Black Sheep Confession, but he had a hunch that this song would be rejected by the clergy.
Uriel didn't try to hide it. "This song tells an anti-religious story."
Butler Cha was silent for a moment. "Was this written by the young master?"
Uriel shook his head. "No."
Uriel didn't say where he'd gotten the score. Even if he told the truth, no one would believe him.
"Young master, are you looking for an opportunity to perform this song? Such anti-religious music isn't suitable in Dawnlight City. "Butler Cha suggested." How about you perform at the Evening Light Port? "
"No, I don't want to perform."
"If you don't want to perform, then does the young master have any questions about this song?"
"Butler Cha, did you feel that when I played this song yesterday, it was missing a bit of flavor?"
Missing a bit of flavor? Butler Cha paused. He didn't understand what Uriel meant.
He didn't know much about music. He just thought it sounded good.
As for whether it was missing a bit of flavor, as a layman, Butler Cha didn't know.
Uriel understood Butler Cha's situation. "This song isn't actually a piano song. It originated from the harp."
Butler Cha paused. "Harp?"
Uriel nodded. "Yes. Because the original was a harp, when I played it on the piano, although it was mostly the same, it was still missing a bit of flavor.
This song is very important to me. Perhaps it can change my future. "
Uriel wasn't spouting nonsense. At the very least, his transformation today was thanks to the Black Sheep Confession.
"That's why I want to find someone to perform it on the harp. It would be best if they could perfectly reproduce the core of the song."
Uriel paused and pointed at the envelope on the table.
"I want to find a famous harp player to reproduce Black Sheep Confession," Uriel said. "I was going to invite Luz. I'm halfway through the letter, but …"
Uriel sighed. "But when I imagine Luz performing this song in my mind, I can't help but feel that it doesn't match."
Although Butler Zha was not very good at music appreciation, he was very familiar with people who played music. He thought for a moment and understood Uriel's meaning. "Yes, Luz is a master on the harp, but it's important to note that Luz's wife is a devout believer."
"Even if Luz didn't express his beliefs, it wouldn't be good for a believer's wife to perform an anti-religious song.
Plus, she might not be able to express the charm of the song. "
For many songs, only when one's nature and the story in the song could the corresponding charm be expressed.
For someone who didn't reject religion to perform an anti-religious song, even if they could, they wouldn't be able to reach the pinnacle.
A reserved piece of music might be elegant, but it wouldn't be a true art.
Uriel nodded. "If you want to reach the pinnacle, Luz wouldn't be able to do it."
"But if I don't ask Luz, I don't know who else to ask. I don't know many masters of the harp, and Luz is the best. "
This was why Uriel hesitated.
Butler Cha studied Uriel's conflicted expression for a moment. "Why don't we … ask him?" he asked softly.
Butler Cha didn't say a name, only a "him."
Uriel didn't know what to say. "Him? Who's he? "
Uriel didn't hear a reply for a long time. He turned and saw a strange expression on Butler Cha's face.
Uriel narrowed his eyes and thought of someone. "You mean … Gulaimo?"
Butler Cha nodded silently.
Butler Cha knew that Gulaimo hated Uriel, and he knew why. It all stemmed from Uriel's partner.
Uriel's partner was Gulaimo's sister.
Before her accident, Gulaimo had thought that Uriel was a scumbag who had seduced his sister. He'd looked down on him. Later, when his sister was persecuted and disappeared, even though Gulaimo knew that Uriel had little to do with it, he still stubbornly believed that Uriel had failed to protect his sister and caused her to suffer.
In short, Gulaimo didn't like Uriel.
Uriel naturally didn't treat Gulaimo kindly either after being despised so much.
Usually, Steward Cha wouldn't mention Gulaimo's name, but at this moment, he inexplicably thought of him.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this was the most fitting name.
Uriel hated the Church of Light because his partner had been persecuted by the Church.
Gulaimo, on the other hand, doted on his younger sister, and hated the Radiance Church as well.
More importantly, Gulaimo was a master of the harp!
He was far better than Luz.
Gulaimo was once the grand finale of the international stage. In the field of harp playing, no one would dare claim to be the best if he claimed to be second.
Someone who hated the Church and was a master of the harp was naturally most suited to perform the Black Sheep Confession.
The only thing to note was that Gulaimo also hated Uriel.
Gulaimo might not accept Uriel's invitation to perform.
After listening to Butler Zha's explanation, Uriel's heart began to lean towards Gulaimo. He knew that Gulaimo hated him, but if Gulaimo knew that this "Black Sheep Confession" was related to "her", would he be willing to come?
After a moment of silence, Uriel nodded to Butler Cha. "Gulaimo might be able to perform the Black Sheep Confession to perfection. I'll try to invite him …"
In order to perform the song to perfection, Uriel put aside his feelings for Gulaimo. He picked up a quill and quickly wrote down an invitation.
Not only did he explain the origins of the Black Sheep Confession, but he also wrote down his own guesses.
In order to attract Gulaimo's attention, he even wrote down half of the score.
After he finished writing, he handed the invitation letter to Butler Cha.
Gulaimo had settled down in Dawnlight City. If nothing unexpected happened, he should receive an invitation today … Uriel just didn't know if he'd come.
(End of chapter)
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