Chapter 8

 
“Should I call you ‘boss’?”

“Huh? Oh, um…”

Pengkun looked momentarily bewildered.

‘W-what the heck? Is this really the same guy?’

Just moments ago, Yuhyeon had exuded the aura of a pure artist. Now, he had transformed into the ultimate businessman, socially adept and ready for negotiations.

The speed of his transition was almost too fast to follow with the naked eye.

– Wow, that was a god-tier switch-up. (°ロ°)

– LOL, the difference before and after payment is unreal.

– Boss~ Please hire me, boss~

The chat reacted just like Pengkun did—laughing at Yuhyeon’s sudden change.

[ ‘Hamdin’ has donated 10,000 won. ]

– Yeah, yeah, call him ‘boss’ already.

– Money rules all.

– If you’ve got cash, you’re either ‘hyung’ or ‘boss.’

Pengkun smirked.

Having skill alone was more than enough, but the fact that Yuhyeon had such a distinct personality made him an even more entertaining guest.

“Just call me whatever’s comfortable. ‘Pengkun-nim’ works fine.”

Sure, being called ‘boss’ felt nice, but for streaming, a relaxed atmosphere was key.

“I’ll send you a party invite. What’s your in-game name?”

“Yuhyeon.”

“Sent.”

The moment Pengkun spoke, a notification popped up in front of Yuhyeon.

 
Ding!

[ ‘Pengkun’ has sent you a party invite. ]

[ Do you accept? ]

“Yes.”

“Got it. One moment…”

Pengkun opened the party window and began checking Yuhyeon’s stats.

‘Let’s see, let’s see…’

 
Ding!

[ Username: Yuhyeon ]

[ Level: 1 ]

[ Class: None ]

.

.

.

A plain, familiar-looking stat screen.

With a level of 1, it made sense he had no class, no skills, and no titles.

That meant all of Pengkun’s assumptions had been correct.

‘So he really played that piece without any stat boosts…?’

Pengkun swallowed hard.

‘I have no idea what’s coming next…’

Clearing his throat, he quickly slipped into professional mode and continued, “Before we start, just a quick note—don’t think of this as a stream. Just relax and do your thing. No need to look at the camera, and I’ll ask the questions, so just answer as naturally as you like.”

“So, you’re saying I should ignore all that and just focus on what I need to do?”

“Yep, just keep it chill.”

“Understood. Then shall we head out?”

“Where to?”

“The judge earlier told us to come to the cathedral. If we’re continuing the content, we should go there. Shall we?”

“Oh, right. Let’s do that.”

Pengkun blinked in surprise.

‘Huh. Well, damn.’

He’d told Yuhyeon to be comfortable, but he hadn’t expected him to take charge of the entire situation so effortlessly.

Usually, the host had to work hard to create engaging scenes, but this guy…

‘This is getting more interesting by the second.’

With growing curiosity, Pengkun watched Yuhyeon closely.

*  *  *

The two headed straight for the cathedral.

“I’ve been to so many places while playing this game, but this is my first time inside a beginner village cathedral.”

Pengkun smoothly slipped into his streamer mode, narrating as he explored the cathedral’s interior.

– I didn’t even know this place existed. (O_O)!

– Just passed by it back in the newbie days.

– Who has time for this? Gotta grind, man.

Yuhyeon, on the other hand, wandered around like a tourist, taking in the sights.

The cathedral was quite impressive. The architecture, with its perfect symmetry and golden ratio, strongly evoked the Renaissance period.

‘It reminds me of that cathedral I saw in Brussels.’

The exact historical setting of Wonderland was unclear, but since it had a medieval feel, it seemed roughly accurate.

A violin hung on one of the walls—a maplewood violin with a rich, natural color.

‘A practice violin, huh.’

Judging by its size, it was a training violin for children.

Seeing one after so long stirred up a sense of nostalgia, and Yuhyeon stood there for a while, quietly admiring it.

Just then, Charles spotted him and called out enthusiastically.

“Ah, our performer is here! This way, please!”

Inside the chapel, Charles greeted him warmly.

“I’ve been expecting you. These are the musicians you’ll be playing with today.”

He gestured toward three other musicians standing nearby.

Yuhyeon’s eyes naturally fell on the instruments they were holding.

‘One violinist, one cellist… and I guess the judge will be playing the viola?’

A familiar quartet arrangement. That means my role on the piano is…

‘I should focus on harmonics, then.’

With a quick scan, Yuhyeon instantly calculated his role in the performance.

Given the tight schedule, running mental simulations in advance won’t hurt.

“Let me introduce everyone. Starting with myself, I’ll be playing the viola—Charles. This is Martin on cello, and finally, this is Gueye on violin.”

“I’m Han Yuhyeon, on piano. It’s a pleasure to work with you all.”

He shook hands in order.

“Haha, we truly appreciate you joining us.”

Charles’ handshake was warm.

“A pleasure, Yuhyeon.”

Martin was just as welcoming.

“…I’ll pass.”

But Gueye didn’t extend his hand.

His expression and gaze were just as cold as his demeanor.

As if he already disliked Yuhyeon before they’d even started.

‘What’s this? Did I piss him off somehow?’

The hostility was so clear it made Yuhyeon wonder.

Still, he simply smiled and replied smoothly, “Looking forward to playing with you.”

“Oh, and if you don’t mind… since it’s getting late, we were thinking of rehearsing first and finalizing the contract afterward. Would that be alright?” Charles asked cautiously.

Signing the contract immediately would have been ideal, but the more pressing matter was starting the ensemble as soon as possible.

‘Money matters can be sensitive… I wonder how he’ll take it.’

What if this proposal offends him?

As Yuhyeon was lost in thought over those concerns, he received a response: “Of course. We can sign the contract whenever it’s convenient for you.”

“Th-thank you!”

Charles’ face lit up. Then, his gaze suddenly shifted to Pengkun.

“By the way, what brings this gentleman here?”

That rude man from the plaza was now standing right before him.

While Yuhyeon was the only one being treated with goodwill, Pengkun was nothing more than an outsider to Charles.

Especially since this wasn’t a public worship session but personal maintenance time—there was even less reason for an outsider to be here.

‘Hah, perfect. Now’s my chance to kick him out…!’

Charles was about to step forward when—

“Sir Charles, if it’s not too much trouble, could he observe the practice as well?” Yuhyeon spoke smoothly, as if the words had been waiting to spill from his lips.

“He’s someone essential to my practice. He also has a deep knowledge of music.”

Having grown up in an orphanage, Yuhyeon had learned to survive on nothing but keen social awareness.

If the situation called for it, he could bow his head in deference, persuade with gentle words, or shift his demeanor accordingly—whatever it took to navigate his way through.

He had simply forgotten those survival tactics after living alone for so long.

“I’ll make sure he stays out of sight so as not to disrupt the practice. If he does become a distraction, feel free to expel him. Nothing is more important than the ceremonial performance right now.”

“Uh…”

Charles blinked, caught off guard by the sheer perfection of Yuhyeon’s argument.

He’s necessary for practice, he’ll stay quiet, and if he causes trouble, he’ll leave…

‘He even said we could delay signing the contract until after the ensemble, out of consideration… This much is nothing in comparison.’

Everything had been laid out so logically, and his tone was so polite that refusing would make Charles seem unreasonable.

“F-fine, then. If the musician requires him… But he must remain silent and not interfere.”

Charles gestured toward Pengkun.

“You can sit over there.”

The spot he pointed to was next to a distant pillar, as far away as possible—just like his relationship with Charles.

Pengkun grinned slyly.

“Haha, thank you. I’ll be sure to stay quiet.”

With everyone seated, Charles motioned toward Yuhyeon’s place.

“Well then, shall we begin? Your sheet music is on the piano.”

As he sat at the piano and checked the score, Yuhyeon felt a wave of relief.

‘Hmm, good. The sheet music is intact.’

Since this was a fantasy world, he had worried that the notation might be different, but thankfully, it was the same as modern sheet music.

He had also feared they might tune their instruments to pure temperament instead of the standard system, but that, too, seemed not to be an issue.

‘Wait a second…’

As he carefully examined the score, Yuhyeon’s eyes gradually narrowed.

‘There’s a lot of piano here. This isn’t just an accompaniment.’

In fact, the violas and cellos were handling the lower harmonies, while the piano and violins carried the main melody and guided the overall flow.

In other words, rather than merely providing support, the piano had to take center stage.

Given the limited time left, it was a considerable responsibility to take on.

Realizing they needed to synchronize as soon as possible, Yuhyeon spoke in a firm tone: “I’ve read through the sheet music.”

“Oh, have you? Then shall we begin right away?”

At Charles’ words, the musicians immediately grabbed their instruments and assumed their playing positions.

As if they were about to start playing immediately.

‘Wait, what? No tuning? And what about discussing the overall musical interpretation?’

Yuhyeon tilted his head.

There were essential steps to take before launching into an ensemble.

First, they should have shared their thoughts on the piece, discussing how they wanted to interpret it.

Next, they should have established the overall direction of the performance.

Only after that should they have tuned their instruments and adjusted their intonation together.

‘They’re just going to play without setting anything in place?’

Troubled by the thought, Yuhyeon cautiously asked, “Do you have a specific interpretation in mind for this piece?”

“Interpretation? What do you mean?” Charles responded with a puzzled expression, as if he didn’t understand the question.

“Just play it as it’s written in the sheet music.”

More than that—he seemed not to understand the concept of musical interpretation at all.

Yuhyeon was about to elaborate when—

“Nope! I can’t do this!”

A sudden outburst shattered the silence.

“Just do as you’re told! Why do you have so much to say?!”

The one shouting was Gueye.

*  *  *

“G-Gueye. What are you saying all of a sudden? Didn’t we already agree before coming here…?” Charles spoke urgently to Gueye.

“That was only about accompanying based on sheet music. But now some stranger shows up talking about musical ideas and whatnot—if you were in my place, could you just sit back and accept it?”

Gueye glared at the outsider—Han Yuhyeon.

The truth was, ever since Paolo left, Gueye hadn’t been happy with the entire process of finding a replacement.

Of course, he had agreed that someone had to take Paolo’s place. If it had been a court musician with an established reputation, there wouldn’t have been an issue.

But bringing in a complete stranger with an unknown background, no matter how urgent the situation was? That crossed the line.

This performance wasn’t some casual gathering for fun—it was an important ensemble that carried the blessing of the village for the entire year.

‘And they brought in some nobody to take part in such a sacred moment?’

Gueye simply couldn’t accept it.

Unless this person possessed an overwhelming talent worthy of being called the god of music himself.

“Bringing in some random riffraff and now you’re spouting nonsense? Atmosphere? Flow? I’ve been a musician my entire life, and I’ve never heard such ridiculous talk!”

Gueye exploded in anger.

“As if someone who talks such utter nonsense could actually be good at playing! What a load of crap!”

“Gueye! I understand how you feel, but you can’t speak like that in front of the musician!”

“What musician? Musician? We haven’t even heard him play properly yet! He’s just a foreigner!”

As their shouting match escalated, the chapel quickly descended into chaos.

Even the livestream chat erupted in reaction to the unexpected scene.

– What the hell is going on?（O口O）

– That player just said something about “atmosphere,” and suddenly Gueye lost it.

– Wow, I never thought I’d hear an NPC say “what a load of crap” in my life.

Pengkun sighed internally.

‘What the hell is happening?’

He had spent a fortune setting up this collaboration stream, but now it looked like things would fall apart before they even began.

While everyone was lost in their own thoughts, trying to process the situation—

“I understand.”

A voice broke through the tension.

“…What?”

Instead of reacting with outrage at Gueye’s words, Yuhyeon calmly said he understood.

Is he about to say, ‘I get it. It’s uncomfortable for me to suddenly intrude, so I’ll step back’?

Charles panicked, thinking Yuhyeon might be giving up on the performance due to Gueye’s hostility. He hurriedly tried to stop him.

“Musician! Please, just hear me out for a moment—”

“There’s no need for further discussion. The elder is absolutely right.”

But Yuhyeon didn’t look upset at all.

In fact, he even smiled as he turned to Gueye.

“If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t be happy either if a total stranger suddenly joined an ensemble and started giving opinions. It’s been so long since I played in a group that I didn’t think about how others might feel.”

“Musician, what are you saying…!”

“Just a moment.”

Yuhyeon abruptly stood up and scanned his surroundings.

‘A violin.’

He recalled seeing a violin hanging on the wall when he entered the chapel.

Spotting it, he walked over and picked it up.

“Musician! Why… That violin is just a practice instrument for teaching children who come to the chapel. It’s probably not even properly tuned…”

“I’ll show you.”

But Yuhyeon didn’t explain further. Instead, he raised the bow and drew it across the strings.

‘It’s been so long.’

Ziing.

The sound that resonated from the violin sent a shiver through his body.

He had expected it to feel good, but not this good.

‘The tone isn’t perfect, but this is more than enough to play.’

Yuhyeon looked straight at Gueye and said, “You’ve spent your entire life in music, Elder. I trust that, through this performance, you’ll be able to tell exactly who I am.”

“Heh, so you think you can impress me? Let’s see you try!”

Just as Yuhyeon was about to place the bow on the violin again—

 
Ding!

[ A quest has been generated. ]

[ Sudden Quest: Move Gueye’s Heart ]

Rank: B

Requirement: Player participating in the ritual performance

Reward: Gueye’s trust, endless praise from Charles and Martin, and a follow-up quest.

Failure: Loss of favor with Gueye, Charles, and Martin, and exclusion from the ritual performance.

Description: This quest can be declined without consequence. If you refuse, Charles and Martin will attempt to persuade Gueye on their own. However, you will not be allowed to touch the violin again until the ritual is over.
 

Yuhyeon’s gaze narrowed slightly as he read the quest window.

A quest with no risk if he refused.

Even if he turned it down, nothing bad would happen.

On the other hand, failing meant he wouldn’t be able to participate in the ceremony—a huge risk.

Any rational player would likely reject this quest.

But was that really what he wanted?

‘Did I pick up this violin just for the quest?’

He asked himself this question, but the answer came almost immediately.

‘No. I just want to play. With all my heart and soul.’

Of all the instruments in the world, the one he was most confident in was the violin.

And it was with the violin that he had won first place in the Queen Elisabeth Competition.

Ziiing.

With a long, resonant stroke, the sound of the violin filled the chapel.

‘I’ll show them.’

The moment when a musician once called a virtuoso was reborn in Wonderland.
 

To be continued

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