Chapter 80

In the game I used to play, the “Musician” class was essentially a support-type production job. Its main role was to “play sheet music in towns or dungeons,” granting support effects to all allies within range.

Among all the production classes, it had the weakest combat capabilities—but its ability to apply buffs to a wide area made it incredibly useful.

However, there was one big drawback: those buffs only lasted while the music was playing.

So if you wanted to bring a Musician to the front lines, the expected playstyle was to “keep performing while dodging every incoming attack”—a pretty high-skill and delicate class.

My sub-job for the Musician class was “Dancer.”

Depending on your character’s gender, this sub-job’s title would change—for female characters, it was called “Dancing Girl” (Odoriko).

Since it was only set as a sub-job, I couldn’t use any of the Dancer’s active skills—but the Dancing Girl still had a very particular characteristic:

“Attacks are limited to fists and kicks, and the attack animations are naturally fast.”

That means even without skills, I could fight with smooth, dance-like motion—speedy and rhythmic.

And of course, the Musician also had its own version of a “broken rescue skill” to help out in a pinch.

“Whew… my head hurts a little. Wonder what’ll happen once I pick up an instrument.”

“Wow… You look, um… super cool? Or maybe a bit scary…? I’m not sure, but you definitely stand out! What’s your name?”

“This one’s called Hash. My eyes… yeah, they probably stand out too.”

This character is half a joke character, really.

Seira had that classic “busty onee-san” look—a common trope in online games. And naturally, there’s a trope for the other extreme too.

This guy is the embodiment of:

Super hot silver-haired long-haired devilish-looking guy who seems like he belongs in an girl’s game.

Like… doesn’t every “cool guy playing an instrument” look kind of like this? My female friends loved this one.

“Hmm…? Hash’s voice really sticks in your ears, doesn’t it? I wonder why.”

“Ah… probably ‘cause he’s a musician… maybe?”

Now that I think about it—each time I switch avatars, the voice changes too.
They’re the same as the “voice actor settings” we chose during the game.

That’s… actually kind of amazing. Like a little hidden reward.

“Hey hey! Can you play the piano? I want to hear how it sounds!”

“Alright, you got it. I might freeze up for a moment, but don’t worry. I’m just syncing up with Hash’s knowledge.”

Right. First, I need to test this.

Can I actually play the piano properly? And more importantly—can I play non-game songs?

Like… songs every Japanese person would know?

“Alright… let’s do this.”

I sat down at the piano, lifted the lid, and placed my fingers on the keys.

As soon as I did, it all came flooding in—knowledge, sheet music, memories, and melodies, like a torrent crashing into my brain.

This was on a whole different level compared to Seira. The intensity of sound made my brain feel like it was shaking.

I shut my eyes, curled in on myself, trying to withstand the flood of information—embracing myself to stay grounded.

Mixed in with all that was Hash’s experience and memories.

His story, his past, his emotions—all poured in.

“Ugh… ngh…!”

He used to be a court musician. With his enchanting voice, graceful demeanor, and dazzling looks, he was loved by noble ladies.

But jealousy got the better of others. He was cast out.

He wandered the world, searching for his own music.

Meeting people, getting involved in conflict from time to time—a classic adventure tale. At times peaceful, at times touched by darkness.

This storyline didn’t change no matter what sub-job he had.

“Yeah… I… I wanted to show people that music is something to enjoy…”

I could feel Hash’s emotions. His love for music poured into me.

He was genuinely happy to be asked to play piano by Melt.

Hash… you’re a good guy. A really good guy.

…Though, admittedly, he’s got kind of a bad reputation with women. I’ll have to keep that part in check.

“Hash, are you okay…? You don’t have to force yourself to play, you know?”

(No, I’m okay now, Melt. I’m good. Let’s give this a shot.)

“Sorry to make you worry, little fox. I’m perfectly fine now. Allow me to play a piece, dedicated to you.”

!?
Wait—what the heck was that!?

I only spoke, and yet—

(What the heck!? My mouth just moved on its own!)

“What a surprise. It seems the words I weave turn into something… beautifully poetic.”

All I did was talk!!
JUST TALKED!!

“??? Huh? What do you mean little fox? I’m already a grown-up! But being called cute does feel kind of nice!”

(Yeah, I get it—you are cute—but… this speech pattern’s totally off. It’s like Hash is controlling how I talk.)

“Your cuteness is universally acknowledged. Still, it seems that as long as I remain in this form, my words will naturally become… a little poetic.”

“Oooh! So that’s why you talk all fancy! Like you stepped out of an old fairy tale!”

Gah!! That verbal jab hits me where it hurts! Please stop!

(Alright then… I’ll try playing that song “Puff” that Sheele played before.)

“Very well. Let me add a bit of color to the melody that Sheele once played, and perform it anew.”

Ugh, this mouth again! Why does it have to talk in such a smooth, princely way!?

Thanks to his looks, it sounds so shady—like he’s some kind of con artist or fake noble!

Anyway—time to test it. The song “Puff” wasn’t one that existed in the game. If I can play it perfectly—with full accompaniment—it means Hush can perform freely, even outside the preset game music.

I place my fingers on the keys.

The position of my elbows, the tension in my arms, the motion of my fingers, the angle of my wrists—all naturally align to the perfect form.

The sheet music appears in my mind, and like I’m being pulled by gravity, my fingers begin to dance across the keyboard as if they had minds of their own.

“Whoa! There’s so many sounds! They’re layered so beautifully… what is this!?”

(This must be what it’s like when someone who truly understands music plays for real.)

“This… this is the place only those who love music, who’ve dedicated themselves to it, can reach.”

Honestly, this is the first time I’ve ever heard a proper piano rendition of “Puff.”

This… is so much fun!

“Mmm… it’s beautiful… it’s like… like I’m eating the music somehow.”

(Eating music… I kind of get what you mean.)

“Savoring the notes, imprinting them onto your soul. That’s a poetic way to put it, Melt-san.”

You know… right now it’s fine. I’m with Melt—she knows my situation, and we’re close enough that I don’t mind…

But if I talk like this around anyone else…!?

This is seriously embarrassing.

“It’s over already? Hash! More! Play more—lots and lots more!”

(Alright. Let’s see how much I can play.)

“Very well. For you, I shall challenge the limits of my ability.”

Ugh!! That voice again!! That weird, overly elegant phrasing!

It’s so hard to take seriously with that suspiciously handsome look of his! It’s like I’ve become a walking marriage scam!!

Trying to calm my raging heart, I begin the next piece—this time, music from the game.

But game music doesn’t just mean “video game-style music.”
There were plenty of original pieces, yes—but some classical works with expired copyrights were also included and could be performed, complete with in-game support effects.

Strictly speaking, it seems they did pay a licensing fee to a certain organization.

But that doesn’t matter in this world!

And so, I choose a cheerful piece of music that Melt might like.

(Then, let’s go with “Rhapsody in Blue.”)

“Then, I shall play Rhapsody in Blue.”

Oh hey, my thoughts and speech finally matched up.

According to what I know, this piece can vary greatly in expression depending on the performer.

Some play it passionately, with lots of energy and flair.

But this time, I’ll play it light, poppy, and fun—like skipping through a sunny field.

“Mmm… what a fun piece. So many notes came flying at me—I was surprised! It’s such a bubbly, exciting tune!”

(Right? There are all kinds of songs—fun ones like this, sad ones, too. So many moods.)

“Indeed. Music hides many expressions beneath its sounds. Sometimes it makes hearts dance; other times, it reflects the sorrow of a woman standing alone in the rain. So many faces it can wear.”

Auto-poet alert! I’m calling this “Auto-Poet Mode”! Cut it out already!

But at least I’ve achieved what I set out to do.

First, Melt is definitely receiving a support effect.
I can’t confirm it from her side, but I can see a faint aura surrounding her.

The condition for Seira’s cooking skill being inherited by Shizuma was “meeting the original acquisition conditions.”

If that’s the case, the same should apply to the Musician class.

In short, the requirements are:

• Number of compositions created
• Number of performances
• Variety of instruments played
• Number of people who’ve heard you play

Which means… I’ll need to get a portable instrument soon and start busking like a street performer.

Of course, I’ll throw in some Earth music as well.

“Phew! That was fun! I feel like my heart’s lighter now. Makes me want to move around and dance!”

(Yeah, it’s that kind of song. I’m glad you liked it.)

“Indeed. Just like a burst of sunshine out of season that makes you want to run across a field. I played it because I thought it suited you, Melt. I’m honored you enjoyed it.”

“Wha—! When you say it like that, it makes me blush!”

Ugh! This guy’s not just an Auto-Poet—he’s halfway flirting, isn’t he!?

People could really hate this kind of behavior, you know!

But… even so, I need to unlock the Musician’s unique skill!

The skill is called [Rhythm Step], and it’s designed to compensate for how vulnerable Musicians are in combat.

Its effects are completely game-breaking—if any front-line class got access to it, the game would be ruined:

• Halves post-attack delay
• Halves dodge animation delay
• 50% chance to evade physical damage
• Increases all combat action speeds by 50%

Like seriously, what the hell!?
This one skill massively boosts both offense and defense!

But that’s just how weak Musicians are—to the point where this much is necessary to survive.

They’re probably the only class that could actually lose in a one-on-one fight with Shizuma.

Still, the ability to apply buffs over a wide area with zero cost does come with serious drawbacks…

Basically:

“Here’s a broken skill—use it to dodge everything yourself, good luck.”

And if Shizuma learns this? He becomes a “gourmet warrior” who never runs out of stamina and can endlessly dodge while dishing out high-speed attacks.

(Whew… tomorrow’s going to get real busy.)

“Well then, it seems we’ll be quite busy starting tomorrow.”

Meanwhile…

While Melt and Hash were holding a private piano recital at home, Shuu—who had just finished enjoying the academy festival—was sharing food with his remaining classmates, courtesy of their noble benefactor, Lord Allheus, who had been sheltering them.

“This… it’s not fresh out of the fryer, but I’ve had this before—back on Earth.”

“Yeah, I think… this is Taiwanese fried chicken, right?”

“No! I mean—this here! This is Coke, right!? That fancy kind you’d buy from food trucks!”

“Ahh, you mean craft cola? I like the regular kind more, but yeah… this brings back memories.”

“…Taiwanese fried chicken with craft cola… a menu combo that was trending for a bit at food stalls… Is this really just a coincidence…?”

The students were shaken by the appearance of familiar foods—meals from their old lives.

And when someone said “food stall menu,” it reminded them of a missing classmate… and of their school trip.

The group fell silent.

“…So, Hishida-san—did anything come of your mission?”

“Well, since it’s called an academy, there were plenty of kids around our age. But I didn’t see anyone who looked like they were from Earth. There was a girl with black hair, but I didn’t get a good look at her face. Also… the academy’s library had a massive number of books. I found a lot of information about surrounding countries—stuff that was deliberately hidden in Golda. But nothing about people summoned from another world. I’m guessing, like in Golda, only the upper levels of government and connected individuals know about that sort of thing.”

The truth was… Hishida had uncovered something even more important.

That the Kingdom of Golda does not have a good reputation.

He had always felt a vague sense of unease. Now, that doubt was becoming concrete.

And so, he quietly pondered:

Should I tell the others?

It wasn’t a choice made for the group’s benefit.

It was a choice rooted in his own interests.

The thought “Maybe I should part ways with my classmates, just like I once left Shizuma behind” had started to creep into his mind.

Watching her companions go along with things passively, without much resistance, he began to feel a growing sense of unease.

He feared that if he continued to stay with them, he’d be unable to oppose them when needed—and would simply be swept along with the current.

“…Also, there doesn’t seem to be anyone at the academy with similar features to us. At the very least, Shizuma-kun isn’t enrolled there. I thought he would’ve already escaped from Golda, especially since it’s said that no one can survive in Dream Forest anymore. But whether he actually made it all the way to this country is still unknown.”

After Shuu shared his thoughts, one person let out a noticeably relieved sigh.

Inami Kaho—a person for whom it would be inconvenient if Shizuma were still alive.

That’s why she secretly hoped:

“Please… let him already be dead.”

“…Is there any way to look into information from within the royal palace?”

“About that, apparently there’s a place called the ‘Institute’ on palace grounds. I could only find out that they research and analyze various things. But if someone like Muraki-kun—who’s from another world—was captured, then… I think it’s highly likely he’d be sent there.”

“The royal palace, huh… But how would we even get inside?”

“That’s something we’d have to discuss with Allheus-sama, who’s been sheltering us. From what I’ve heard, he’s a long-standing noble even in this country. He might be able to come up with a good plan.”

Isaka spoke confidently as he finished the last bite of his Dàzhápái (Taiwanese fried chicken).

“…Also, we should probably investigate this dish too. There’s a possibility it was introduced by someone from our own time. If that’s the case, then it’s quite likely that person could be Shizuma-kun.”

“…Eh…”

Isaka seemed to be betting on the possibility that Shizuma was still alive.

That possibility shook Kaho deeply.

“Got it. I’ll look into that too.”

“I’m counting on you. If Kazunuma-kun and I were to get caught, it’d be bad. Hishida-san, you’re our only hope.”

“Yeah, I understand.”

Hishida pondered alone.

When should he start putting distance between himself and the others?
When should he cut ties with the Kingdom of Golda?

Would doing so really be to his advantage?

That answer still remained shrouded in darkness—

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