Chapter 659: Contacts

Ezra and Selena played the final piece together, their fingers moving across the Grand Piano keys in sync.

The melody they created left the crowd mesmerized by its sound and the way their parts blended together.

Neither of them seemed to struggle to keep up with the other.

Selena followed the arrangement she had learned, while Ezra matched her rhythm, allowing their notes to flow together until the last part of the performance.

For Selena, the experience felt different from simply playing a piece of music with another musician.

There was a sense that she had connected with Ezra through their performance, even though they had only just begun playing together.

Her emerald eyes shifted toward him.

Ezra’s fingers moved over the final keys, and Selena followed his pace.

Neither rushed to finish ahead of the other.

They played the last notes together, bringing the piece to its end.

For a brief moment, silence filled the Grand Royal Hall.

The audience remained still.

Some guests looked toward the stage, while others seemed to be waiting for the final notes to settle in their minds.

Then...

"Woooooahhhh!"

The crowd erupted into cheers.

Applause filled the hall as people expressed their appreciation for the music performed by the Golden Matching Order Band, Lady Selena Galehart, and Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke.

Some guests raised their hands while cheering, while others whistled loudly enough to draw the attention of people standing nearby.

"Amazing performance, Lady Selena Galehart and Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke!"

"The Golden Matching Order Band was incredible too!"

"I love this piece!"

"Please, you have to get this published somehow!"

"Who even came up with this music? I really can’t stop thinking about it!"

The praises came one after another.

The excitement had not faded even after the performance ended.

People continued discussing the music, with some turning to their companions to share their favourite parts.

The unfamiliar arrangement had clearly left an impression on them.

On the stage, Selena, Ezra, and the members of the Golden Matching Order Band stood up.

They moved to face the audience, then raised their hands before lowering their heads together in a bow.

The crowd responded with another round of applause.

Snap!

Snap!

Snap!

Snap!

The sound of cameras soon joined the cheers.

Photographers who had been spread throughout the hall hurried toward the musicians.

They moved around the group, trying to capture pictures from different angles.

Some focused on the entire band, while others aimed their cameras at Selena and Ezra.

The flashes went off one after another.

Neither musician made a fuss about the attention.

They had finished their performance, and the crowd’s reaction spoke for itself.

Among the guests, Professor Liliana Galehart looked at the pictures she had taken with a pleased smile.

"Oh, what an amazing night this is for me."

Her gaze settled on one particular photograph.

It showed Selena looking at Ezra, her emerald eyes fixed on him while a faint blush coloured her cheeks.

Liliana brought her right hand to her mouth.

"This is so cute."

She looked at the picture for another moment, clearly satisfied with what she had captured.

I guess I should find more ways to pair them up.

Her smile widened a little as another thought crossed her mind.

Plus, don’t miss this chance, Selena.

Liliana raised her eyes from the photograph and looked toward her niece.

Selena was still waving at the people cheering her name.

She maintained her usual elegant smile, acknowledging the crowd without losing her composure.

The sight pleased Liliana even more.

After watching for a little longer, the professor finally left.

"That was amazing, Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke!"

One of the female members of the Golden Matching Order Band approached Ezra.

Her eyes shone with excitement, and she seemed eager to speak with him before he left.

"Yeah, Orchestral Funk House! That’s a cool genre."

"I agree!"

"I wonder when you’re going to publish it."

"I’ll definitely be the first person to buy a ticket for the first performance!"

The other members gathered around, adding their own comments.

Their excitement was easy to see.

Some smiled as they spoke, while others continued discussing the composition among themselves.

They were professional musicians, yet the piece Ezra had introduced had given them something new to explore.

They had played their parts during the performance, and now they wanted to know what would happen to the genre afterward.

Ezra listened to them without showing much change in his expression.

"Thank you, everyone."

His reply was calm and straightforward.

"But as I’ve already told you, I’m not a musician, so I won’t be publishing anything."

He had no intention of making a career out of music.

The fact that people enjoyed the piece did not change his view on the matter.

The leader of the Golden Matching Order Band lowered his gaze slightly.

"So, we’ll never get to hear another piece like this?"

There was a hint of disappointment in his voice.

After experiencing the arrangement firsthand, he had naturally hoped that Ezra would create more music for them to perform.

Ezra shook his head slightly.

"No. You’ll hear more, since she could easily play things like that now."

He pointed toward Selena.

"Me?"

Selena pointed at herself.

She did not look shocked.

Instead, she stared at Ezra with the same calm, composed expression she usually wore, as though she wanted to make sure he was referring to her.

The members of the band turned toward her.

"Oh, that would really be lovely, Lady Selena Galehart!"

Several of them nodded in agreement.

Their disappointment began to fade as they considered the possibility of playing more pieces of the same genre with Selena.

She was already a talented musician, and they had just performed alongside her.

The idea did not seem unreasonable to them.

Ezra, however, had nothing more to add.

"I’m leaving now."

He said it plainly before turning to take his leave.

Seeing that Ezra was already going, Selena politely greeted the members of the band.

She then followed him, leaving the musicians to continue their discussion.

The Last Dance Core had come to an end.

With the performances finished, it was now the Vice Headmaster of the Royal Academy’s turn to deliver the final speech of the night.

Once Godwin Fraser had addressed the guests, the party could officially close, allowing everyone to begin their departure from the Grand Royal Hall.

Selena walked alongside Ezra for a while before speaking.

"Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke, what did you mean by what you said?"

Her voice remained calm, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

She had been trying to find the right moment to ask Ezra for his contact, and now that they were away from the musicians, she was wondering how to bring it up.

Ezra glanced at her.

"You’re a talented musician, Selena. Plus, you’re already in the field, so I wondered if you would be willing to take credit for the music genre. Obviously, we’d sign a contract for it."

He explained his reasoning without making it complicated.

He had no desire to publish the genre himself.

Selena, on the other hand, was already involved in music and had the skills to bring the style to more people.

Giving her the opportunity made more sense to him.

Also, it seemed to him that she really resonated to a music genre like that.

Selena considered his words.

"But you’re also good at playing the piano. A lot of people have already witnessed how good you are. I know you’re good, so why don’t you want to take music seriously? I don’t think it would affect your life as an Alchemist or even your inventions."

She was still confused about why Ezra was so unwilling to pursue music as another part of his life.

He had just performed before a crowd filled with nobles and other guests.

His skill was clear enough for people to appreciate, and she could not understand why he wanted to leave it as nothing more than a hobby.

Ezra answered without hesitation.

"Music has become more of a hobby to me. That’s why it’s better for someone more worthy to take the genre and popularize it throughout the Kingdom."

"I see."

Selena lowered her eyes slightly.

Her heart beat a little faster.

He just said someone worthy.

The thought brought her quiet happiness.

She tried to keep her expression composed, but the corners of her lips lifted into a small smile.

Ezra continued before she could say anything else.

"Also, trust me when I say this... I’m not as talented as you or even the members of the Golden Matching Order Band."

He was being honest.

The difference between knowing how to play a piece and possessing genuine musical talent was something he understood.

He could perform, but that did not mean he wanted to devote himself to music.

If not for the Book of Memories, I wouldn’t have even learned how to play the piano or obtained those pieces.

His gaze remained on Selena as he thought about it.

At the end of the day, I don’t have the talent for that field.

And I don’t have the passion for it either.

But he did enjoy playing the Grand Piano from time to time.

And there were still plenty of pieces from his past-self’s life that he wanted to hear, and playing them himself was a convenient way to do so.

That was enough for him.

I should also start playing chess as a recreational activity.

He had been thinking about the idea for a while.

Activities like that could help keep the mind active, and that was useful for an Alchemist.

I might as well take part in some of them.

Ezra finished his thoughts and looked at Selena with his plain black eyes.

She was still walking beside him.

For a moment, Selena seemed to be gathering her courage.

She drew a faint breath, then let it out slowly.

"Then..."

She paused.

Her fingers came together, and she began moving them nervously.

Ezra continued looking at her, waiting for her to finish speaking.

He did not interrupt or press her to hurry, even as she struggled to find the words.

"Will..."

Selena stopped again.

She tried to maintain her usual composed expression, but her fingers gave away some of her nervousness.

She looked as though she wanted to say something important yet could not decide how to begin.

Ezra waited.

Finally, she managed to ask the question.

"I mean, can I get your contact, Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke?"

Her voice was calm by the time the words came out.

"Yeah. For our future communication about the music genre, I would also need your contact."

Ezra agreed almost immediately.

There was no reason to refuse.

Since they would need to communicate about the music genre and the contract, exchanging contacts was a practical choice.

Also Selena Galehart was another type of connection for the future that he had observed would be useful to him.

Selena’s nervousness eased.

She did not burst into joy or react in an exaggerated manner.

Instead, she gave him an elegant smile and took out her Zphone.

Ezra brought out his Starlix.

The two exchanged their contact information, completing the process without any trouble.

Selena put her Zphone away, still wearing a pleased expression.

Ezra gave her a lazy wave.

Then he left.

Selena waved back, watching him go with a smile that lingered on her face.

By that time, Vice Headmaster Godwin Fraser had finished his closing speech.

The party was officially over, and the guests began leaving the Grand Royal Hall.

Conversations continued as people collected their belongings and made their way toward the exits.

Some had travelled from distant places and would begin their journeys that same evening.

Others had arranged places to stay overnight before setting out.

As for those who lived around Eldenford, they could simply head home.

The long day had finally come to an end.

But for Selena Galehart, the evening had given her something more than a memorable performance.

She had Ezra Ashenlocke’s contact now.

And with the promise of future communication about Orchestral Funk House, she had a reason to speak with him again.

Selena glanced at the contact saved on her Zphone, her lips lifting into a faint smile.

Perhaps the party had ended, but for her, something had only just begun.