Chapter 9.11 - Act 9: Whimsically 11 (2/2)

How was it? It was great of course.

However, that most likely wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear and was perhaps looking for a reply that could help her musically; a proper feedback…

‘But I don’t know pianos.’

Scratching the back of my neck, I opened my mouth having no other choice.

“It’s really good. Since you fixed everything I barely managed to point out in the past, there’s nothing else I can say. You must have practised really hard.”

“I did! Because this was my prac songg.”

This was her prac song?

With slight surprise, I met Chloe’s eyes with mine. Although I didn’t know much about the theories behind piano, I could still tell apart easy from difficult songs because my years of listening to pianos were quite long.

Judging from the instinct I gained from all that, Schumann’s Fantasie… should be on the difficult side though?

“Huhuh.”

When she saw the admiration on my face, Chloe shrugged her shoulders and made a boastful expression.

Hoh, full of confidence huh.

Letting out a grin, I decided to play along with her boasting.

“So, did you do well in the prac test?”

Chloe’s nose seemed to be soaring up into the skies.

“Of course~ I came first after alll.”

Naturally, I knew about it since Chloe had received an award herself at the hall on the last day of the term. I forgot what the name of the award was but if I remember correctly, it was somewhere along the lines of high-achiever something.

She received it right next to me who received the freshmen highest achiever award.

While I was having a flashback, Chloe let out words similar to complaints.

“But this didn’t receive as much credit as I thought during the prac test and… the other song got better marks. Why, I wonderr?”

What? They preferred another song? Even after listening to this performance?

With my eyes widened, I asked.

“What was the other one?”

“It was this…”

Saying that, Chloe immediately played a piece – a lively song with a rapid development. Compared to Schumann’s Fantasie just then, it was contrary in a lot of ways.

It was bright as the left and the right hand built up music in harmony. Unlike Fantasie, there weren’t any parts sticking out and resembled tough bricks built up in a pile. It was a song that required a rigid, traditional, standard method.

After finishing that song without making a single mistake, Chloe removed her feet from the pedal and tilted her head.

“…It’s this song but isn’t this like, too simple? Why did this have a higherr score?”

“…Hmm.”

Crossing my arms, I fell into deep contemplation.

Indeed, compared to the overwhelming performance of ‘Fantasie’, the second song was simple. To put it nicely, it was simple and otherwise, you could say it was too normal, because it was a song that only required the basics that had been built up – the standard expressions and techniques.

In comparison to Fantasie which had to be performed as if singing while containing separate tempos for the left and the right hand, it could be seen as a boring song.

‘And yet the boring song had a better evaluation huh…’

Soon finding out the reason, I nodded and gave her a reply.

“Because it is simple… I think that’s why it received a higher score.”

“What?”

Chloe frowned with a completely clueless expression and seeing that, I quickly organised my thoughts.

Prac tests.

Unlike concerts and concours, prac tests were different, and were unique tests. The objective of prac tests, which were held at the end of semesters, was to evaluate the students’ accomplishments throughout the semester. Therefore, it had a slightly different goal compared to concerts and concours in which students would flaunt their skills.

In other words, it was this.

While concerts evaluated students on how good they were, the prac tests would check whether the kids properly digested the lessons or not. Thus, the objectives of prac tests could be defined as finding out the foundations of the students, rather than their highest capability.

That was why the marking criterias were different as well.

Rather than,

‘Since they did well on this, let’s give them more marks!’

It was closer to,

‘Since they couldn’t do this, we will deduct marks from them!’

Basically, marks would be deducted whenever there were mistakes.

“So that’s why a song that could show off a firm foundation as well as the skills learned in school without a mistake was evaluated higher than the other one.”

“Ohh…”

After hearing my words, Chloe opened her mouth in an ‘o’ shape and looked at me. On her face, there was admiration, and she seemed curious about how I knew about it.

But seeing that look on her face, a bitter smile sneaked onto my lips.

I had gone through this before the time travel so I should have known about it and yet didn’t even remember it until now.

‘That was why Elf King received a less favourable evaluation huh.’

Thinking back, perhaps it could be considered natural because compared to Tristesse, Elf King was a unique song, very different from the norm.

It wasn’t suited for prac songs.

“…Ehew.”

And yet I had been wondering why Elf King received less reception…

Feeling rather ashamed of myself, I heaved out a sigh when Chloe stiffened her body before looking into my eyes. Curiosity befell her green pupils.

“Then what about the Prac High-achievers Concert?”

“Nn?”

Tilting her head, Chloe fell into thought.

“For prac tests, simple songs are better… while unique, complex songs are bad… but on the Prac High-achievers Concert…”

I watched her contemplate while rolling her eyes around and smiled.

“Like I said, prac tests are complete opposites to other concerts in how they are marked.”

“?”

Blinking her eyes, she seemed to be taking in my words as her face gradually changed. From doubt, to understanding and from comprehension to joy.

“If simple songs are better for prac tests…”

Chloe replied with a flicker in her eyes.

“Complex, difficult songs will be better for concerts!”

I gave her a nod.

“Yeah. Both you and I chose perfect songs.”

“Huhuhuhuh.”

A bright smile resembling the sun hung from her lips. Her eyes bent in crescents full of life as her white teeth reflected off light. Endless laughter poured out and her cheeks cutely bulged out.

It was a smile that made onlookers happy as well and seeing that, I felt my heart warm up.

‘Chloe…’

She had a smile like this huh.

Thinking that it was a satisfying discovery, I smiled.