"I see… I never knew that the situation was this grave for the fine arts and music department." Eli, who once aspired to attend a music school, was deeply burdened with the matter.
"I know… but we had no choice. If not for the vice chairman negotiating with these artists and musicians, we might have to give up on the students.
They were also extremely unwilling to go out of the Empire because these students aspire to revive the arts and music industry in the Empire and so even if we convince them that we will send them abroad to learn, they insist on staying." Simone also commented on the issue.
"May I know what are the profiles of these students who are now on their apprenticeship training?" Eli asked Athena.
"Oh, I have a record of that, let me fetch it for you!" Athena stood up and asked her attendant who was waiting outside the conference room. After a few minutes, the attendant came back with the records of the students that remained 'enrolled' under the Farauld Institute's Department of Culture, Fine Arts, and Performing Arts.
"Two students majoring in painting, one in sculpting and wood carving, three students majoring in each of the three string instruments, one in piano, then one was interested in… composing and arrangement?!" As Eli glanced at the report, she could not help but be amazed by the profile of these students.
They were commoners and yet from their records she could clearly see that these students hold great pride in their passion. Too bad, they were left without a proper teacher and were even forced to become apprentices to common artists and musicians.
"We didn't even know if they were being taught properly or if they were still under the wings of their so-called masters." Dean Athena said.
In their case, Eli could attest that the terms 'apprentice' and 'disciple' can be used interchangeably. Because Grandpa Andi took Randel with the intent to fully pass all of his knowledge in crafting.
Seeing the profiles of the students, Eli thought deeply. Hearing the story of these students greatly reminded her of her previous life where she struggled to get by while keeping on the desire to learn music.
She could not help but be compelled to do something because the situation resonates with her very well
However, could she afford to help them? Aside from her work as a research councilor, she was still secretly an agent of the Temple, apart from being a mother.
She once looked at the profile again and immediately widened her eyes to see a familiar face.
"!!!" She lifted the student's profile and scrutinized her face again, indeed she knew this person!
It was none other than the young lady, Lainie Yseult! The one who sold the violin in the flea market as well as the one who ran towards the Argentum to frantically warn Eli and Leon of the kidnappers approaching the Silver Dew Forest!
This time, she could no longer turn her back on someone who helped her before and was now involved. She remembers how amazed Lainie was in her playing before, and how adorable she is.
When she glanced at the profile, she was surprised that Lainie was actually interested in composing rather than the violin which brought their fates together.
"Alright... I have an idea… I am not sure if the Deans, Vice Chairman, and GrandMaster would allow me to implement my suggestion." Eli decided.
"Really counselor?! Let's hear it first! If it is possible then I will fully support you as we present the idea to the higher-ups!" Athena looked at her excitedly, her face showing that the very reason she invited Eli to this meeting was that she was really expecting Eli to think of an idea on how to address the matter.
"Well this idea won't work if we were not able to recall all of these students back in the institute, and the people I have in mind will not be willing to participate.
Since we have to recall the students anyways because they had to participate, I'll leave it to the Deans to arrange for this. But the second part would be much harder."
The deans looked at Eli in anticipation, what kind of strategy will the great inventor think of?
"I am thinking of convincing a painting, sculpting, and music teacher to train these students back in the capital," Eli explained.
When they heard Eli's suggestion, they felt a little bit rejected. For they have already done this before. "Councilor, this might be a little offensive for you, but this might not work. For we have already tried doing this before, but no one was willing to do it."
Eli just chuckled lightly at their concern, she did not take offense to their comments but instead tried to explain her case patiently.
"Well, it is indeed hard to persuade people. In fact, I, too, was not confident if I could even manage to convince the people I have in mind."
'Does the Counselor know people that would be good enough to teach our students?' Dean Simone could not help but ask in curiosity.
"Well, even you knew them too. For painting, I am thinking of convincing the First Princess Consort, Arielle who was formerly the princess of the Vanderfords prior to marrying the First Prince.
Then for sculpting, I was thinking of asking Randel himself to teach the student. They even share the same lightning attributes, I bet that they would be very compatible.
For the Cello and the Viola, I was thinking of convincing the First Queen Lucia and the Second Princess Consort Evelyn! I once had the privilege to join them in a string trio last week. They are definitely good.
Finally, for the violin, I was thinking of asking Second Queen Tehila to mentor."
"How about the piano and arranging??" Simone asked.
"That would be me," Eli answered with certainty. "But I might say that I do not have any experience in composing, but I did arrange music in my early years… I am also quite confident with my repertoire."
"..." The deans could not react for a moment. To be precise they did not know on which part they would react first.
Is it based on the fact that Eli was planning to involve the Imperial Family in this problem?
Or the fact that she herself would be personally teaching two students. Isn't she an inventor? How come she was now saying that she was willing to teach music?
"Councilor… I know how talented you are in music… but are you sure about this idea?" Zeke, who knew Eli's talent in music because he spent months with her and the project team in the Silver Dew forest, asked in nervousness.
"Well, I am not confident that I will be able to persuade the people I mentioned. But for Piano and Arranging, I am confident I can impart knowledge to these two students here." Eli looked at them and replied calmly. Her tone was rather straightforward but did not show any trace of consciousness or bragging.
"But can you handle these additional tasks on top of your current work?" The deans asked worriedly.
"Well, actually I couldn't say that I could fit them into my schedule. But seeing the situation, I'll have to make it work. I am trying because I owed a great favor to one of these students. I want to give back to her somehow." Eli laid down all her motives for the deans to fully understand her standpoint.
"Well, it'll not hurt for us to try to persuade these distinguished people and also the eight students." Athena declared, looking at Eli with a gentle smile.
–
While this was happening, a piano quartet was performing on the plaza somewhere in the neighboring kingdom.
They were playing seriously with just a little shade of a tree cooling them in the middle of the day, while the people passed by and occasionally threw a few cents on their basket.
In a county in the southern part of the Empire, a young sculptor just finished an order for a wood-carved bed frame. Wiping the sweat on his forehead, he took a look at the sky realizing that it was lunchtime.
With that, he took a cloth containing a piece of coarse rye bread and went beside the community well to fetch some drinking water. He sat on a nearby tree and at his 'lunch' quietly.
In a certain noble house, a young lady was down to her third hour in playing a waltz on the piano. She had to play the tune for the young children of the family to learn how to dance.
Another had just finished painting a portrait of the newly wedded baroness on the other side of the Empire.
While another was on the side of the road trying to sell a few paintings to passing people.
Finally, in Silvertown, Lainie was diligently sweeping the floor of her father's workshop. This was now looking good for her father as he was just now fully recovered and able to get back on making instruments again.
But deep inside her, she was longing that she could also somehow get back on her own passion.
