Chapter 488 : Voice of the Heavens!
Chapter 488: Voice of the Heavens!
Compared to performing an opera under the gaze of thousands, at this moment, Janna felt even greater pressure as she prepared to play her composition under the watchful eyes of her “peers.”
This kind of pressure was more like taking an exam. What Janna had to present for this evaluation was her “original music,” and her judges included top composers like Quentin-Lycente and other opera colleagues.
"Hoo—"
She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.
After forcibly clearing away the distractions in her mind, Janna—holding the 【Strings of Flotenath-Moonlight】—began to play the first movement of “The Symphony of Angels”, the solo piece for 【Isabelle】’s first appearance.
"Ding—dong—"
As Janna lightly plucked the strings, a melody as flowing and pure as mountain streams poured from her fingertips.
"Hm? This melody—so gentle."
Unlike Quentin-Lycente’s grand, passionate piano performances, Janna’s harp conveyed a far softer tone.
Yet even that gentleness seemed to resonate deep within the souls of those who listened, as if a distant bell were tolling softly in their hearts, drawing them irresistibly into the sound.
"Is this truly Janna’s own composition? Why have I never heard this melody before?"
As an Apprentice Sound Wizard, once Liji Silks heard a melody, she would instantly remember it.
But now, listening to Janna’s piece—even though Liji Silks recognized every note—when they were woven together, they formed something astonishingly new.
Though played on a harp, Liji Silks could hear within it the grand resonance of the Sacred Bell.
Not only that—she could also hear the soft trickling of water, like the sound of melting snow flowing down the mountain.
When these melodies intertwined, an image appeared in her mind—a golden Sacred Bell suspended high above a snowy peak, and angels with pure white wings circling around it in devoted prayer.
"So Heaven lies amid the snowy mountains—no wonder the Tulans Holy Church chose the Snowlotus as their sacred flower."
Now wholly immersed in the music, Liji Silks completely forgot that the Tulans Holy Church actually worshiped the Phoenix, not the Lord of Heaven.
She simply pieced together all the images in her mind, forming a vivid “Heavenly Painting” of her own imagination.
Of course, Liji Silks wasn’t the only one whose mind conjured such visions. Everyone who listened to Janna’s first piece saw something different in their hearts.
For David-Berg, the melody reminded him of the world within his own script—“Withering Rose”—of the “Heaven” he had imagined, and of the protagonist he had created: 【Isabelle】.
"It’s 【Isabelle】—"
The flow of the harp rippled through his heart.
At that moment, as David-Berg watched Janna playing, her image overlapped perfectly with the wingless angel 【Isabelle】 in his mind.
The same purity and beauty.
The same flawless grace.
The same steadfast optimism.
Yes—
To David-Berg, 【Isabelle】 had always been strong and hopeful.
She never belittled herself for being “born incomplete.” She never lived without self, blindly serving the Lord of Heaven like other angels.
That—was the true 【Isabelle】 in David-Berg’s heart!
When the first piece ended, David-Berg, “overcome with emotion,” abruptly stood up. But then, realizing what he had done, he hastily sat back down.
However, everyone else’s attention was wholly captured by Janna’s music—they didn’t even notice David-Berg’s brief “loss of composure.”
"To think such a professional composer was hiding in this small troupe all along. I truly underestimated her."
At this moment, sitting beside David-Berg, Quentin-Lycente’s expression had lost all traces of levity. His eyes narrowed slightly, filled with the keen respect one reserves for an equal.
"Though her first piece was excellent, the real challenge lies in the next two—"
Ding—dong—
While Quentin-Lycente still silently compared their performances, Janna—having finished the first movement—began playing the second part of “The Symphony of Angels”: The Fallen Angel, the first emotional climax of the entire work.
"Ding, ding, ding, ding——"
Unlike the gentle and soothing tone of the first piece, the rhythm of the second quickened dramatically.
If the first melody was flowing water among mountains, then this one was a blazing fire hidden beneath endless darkness.
"Impossible!"
As the tense notes burst from Janna’s fingertips, the once-calm Quentin-Lycente couldn’t help but exclaim in disbelief.
Though the structure of this second piece resembled the first, its emotional depth and expressive power soared to an entirely new level.
Where Quentin-Lycente’s version conveyed 【Isabelle】’s despair through deliberate low tones, Janna’s performance poured pure emotion into every note—no trace of stiffness or technical showmanship remained.
And that—was what Quentin-Lycente found most unacceptable!
"She can’t possibly be a novice! David, who is she? Where did you find such a monster!?"
"I don’t know—I really don’t know…" Compared to Quentin-Lycente’s outburst, David-Berg had already completely “fallen into the scene.”
If an actor’s emotional immersion was called “in character,” then David-Berg’s was that of a playwright truly “immersed” in the world he had created—in the feelings of 【Isabelle】, and in the truths behind the entire story.
The reason 【Isabelle】 was imprisoned in eternal Purgatory by the Lord of Heaven, 【Augustine】, was because she had stolen the Flame and gifted it to humanity.
Behind this plot, David-Berg wanted not only to express 【Isabelle】’s compassion and divinity, but also to portray the suffering of humanity oppressed by the Lord of Heaven, 【Augustine】.
Thus, when 【Isabelle】 fell and became the Black Angel, the despair that filled the entire score was not only hers—but also that of the humans still struggling to survive amidst divine calamity.