In Another World where Songs are Supreme, The Cover Artist is King (Original Isekai Chapter 1)
One can never know what fate will bring upon their life.
A lady can act exactly as she is instructed, attend the lessons she is meant to learn, befriend the people she is "advised" to, and act as the perfect daughter and noble child of the marquis and marquise.
A lady can do all that, only to find herself sitting in the execution row with her family, at the duke's castle as he houses a gala where your death is the entertainment.
Charlotte de Echo didn't show any of her conflicting emotions on her face, even with all of this happening.
"An Echo mustn't make unnecessary sounds."
Her father used to tell her. It was the family saying.
To not act thoughtlessly. To not take unnecessary actions. That's what the saying meant.
As Charlotte looked to her left, she saw her father, mother, older brother and the reason for the current situation, her older sister. To Charlotte's right was her younger brother and baby sister. None of her family was to be spared.
Charlotte looked forward. To the rotten sea of aristocracy. The other nobles that were talking, joking, laughing among each other and they watch the Echo family's execution as entertainment.
There were musician guards stations near where Charlotte and her family were chained. There job wasn't to hold them in place, but to ensure to... clean up the mess afterwards.
Charlotte's eyes eventually landed on the person that orchestrated all of this.
James von Stringson, son of Duke Stringson, and the girl, Eleanor la Nova, daughter of a baron.
The two people who brought about the destruction of the Echo family. Or rather it was only the duke's son. The baron's child look happy for the most part, only seeming uncomfortable when he eyes happened to land on the Echo family's direction, before quickly looking away and forgetting about them after a few moments.
Coward. Charlotte thought, without a change in her expression.
James, the duke's son however seemed to revel in the Echo family's agony, although he looks away to entertain guests or gaze "lovingly" at his new betrothed, only to let his kind mask slip and smile cruelly when he looks in the Echoes' direction.
Charlotte only had the bare bones idea of why this happened. Her elder sister Diana was betrothed to the duke's son. Things seemed fine. Her family was prosperous and could even be said to be on the way to a higher rank with this alliance.
Yet, right after Diana and James went to the Musica Noble Academy things seemed to slowly but surely fall apart in the engagement. James seemed to have taken fancy to a the girl of a baron rank house, and all but pushed Diana to the side, even snubbing her to spend more time with the baron girl.
Diana tried to get closer to James, tried to warn or push the baron's daughter away. Yet in the end, all it resulted in is James retaliation and this systematic dismantling of the Echo family.
Rumors of mismanagement. Allegations of working with bandits. Conspiracy to make revolutionaries against the crown.
It all lead to a fake investigation, followed by created evidence and a kangaroo court that lead to their entire family's condemnation.
Charlotte never knew about any of this until her father told her, and it was on the day that the duke's troop came to arrest her family, with most of the Echo family's knights turning against them.
Charlotte felt... empty. She never involved herself with any of the politics or ongoings of noble gossip. She had already accepted her role in live. To live for her family. To be wedded off for her family. And now for the actions of her sister, she will die with her family.
Had she lived wrong? She had never complained in her life. She was the perfect daughter. She always did as told.
So why was she punished for something she didn't even have a hand in?
Why were her younger siblings, or Sean her elder brother, or her parents going to die?
Was this her punishment for living an apathetic life? She had never treated anyone poorly or harshly, not even the slaves. She had made sure her servants were given their wages, out of her own pocket money if need be when one of them didn't get paid for one reason or another. She never talked badly about any of her fellow nobles, even behind their back or alone.
So why?
Charlotte looked further ahead to see the duke himself setting at his elevated chair, watching all these proceedings with apathy. The look that always reflected in the mirror for her.
The only sound was of the nobles chattering, and the Music of Quiet played by the mages. Music that ensured nothing less than a Song could be cast by anyone else.
Thus ensuring their inevitable deaths. For without magic, the Echo family had no chance of escape.
"I believe this has dragged long enough." The duke's voice reverberated through out the ballroom, making the chattering stop. "James. Get on with it." He gestured for his son.
"Yes, father." The cruel duke's son, said with flare as he bowed to his father, then turned to face the crowd.
"Lily, Robby, it's going to be okay. They won't actually make those who haven't come of age yet, actually Sing. Your sister Charlotte might even be there for you, when this is all over." Sean told the youngest of the Echoes, in one last desperate hope to reassure them.
Charlotte turned to her younger brother and baby sister, smiling and nodding toward them. It was a comforting thought, but Charlotte wasn't sure it would be true. She definitely won't make it. As for Robert and Lily, she wasn't sure which would be better. Dying with everyone here or living as disgraced nobles with no family to look after them.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" James spoke aloud. "The time has arrived. The Echoes have been judged and found guilt of corruption, conspiracy and tyranny to the kind people of the Kingdom of Chorus. Thus they are sentence to the highest of punishment." James said with near delight. "Singing." He spoke and people flinched, even if they tried keep smiling and acting calm. "Let the Goddess Melpomene judge their hearts and find them innocent or..." He couldn't help but grin. "Show her displease by making the ugliness of their hearts be made manifest." He said before gesturing to the Echo patriarch. "First, Marquis Echo. May your Sounds be pleasant for the Hymns." James von Stringson said with mocking encouragement.
The Hymns.
Spirits. Beings that are seen as the extended limbs of the goddess, acting out her divine endless will upon the earth.
Being contracted to a Hymn allows a person to cast a spell without having a musical instrument. The Hymn provides the music, and the musicians, the mage only needs visualize the music in their mind for the Hymns to play, and for the spell to form and be cast. And should the musician fail, the Hymn will carry on the backlash of the fail performance.
Without a contract to the Hymn, should anyone try to cast a spell, any misstep they make, any note out of Harmony and they would suffer the magic backlash of the failed spell. If they are absolutely lucky on their best day, it would just be a loud bang that causes their ears to ring.
More often, injuries of backlash are more detrimental.
Different Hymns specialize in producing the sounds of different instruments and thus different magic spells.
The Echo family are unlucky to be born contracted to the highest of Hymns. The Maestro Hymns.
Maestro Hymns can produce the sound of any instrument. They allow a musician to play any music, thus cast any spell.
But they do not take on a musician's backlash. Any mistake a musician makes, they suffer the magic backlash of in full.
No. From what Charlotte learned, it's likely that her family members suffer even greater punishment for performance mistakes than ordinary people that preform with Disharmony. Maestro Hymns didn't tolerate mistakes in spell casting.
Mistakes for music being played out of note could result in the spell spontaneously occurring and hitting the mage. Or their bones and flesh be ripped apart.
All of this from mistakes in playing music.
And now they are meant to Sing?
What Songs? Those are only known to royalty.
With what words? In what sequence? What rhymes with the spells they knew?
Execution by Singing is the most vile and cruel death a criminal could suffer.
And it was put upon Charlotte and her family.
For a moment she felt like she should cry. Yet her long ingrained training as a noblewoman told her to keep it in. To not make a mess. Thus she held her tears and felt her heart grow heavier and darker.
Music started playing. A ringing sound like a church organ.
Charlotte and the rest of the Echo children looked toward their parents.
Their hearts were thundering in their chest with dread.
"O-Oh Melp—GRAH" Marquis Echo cried out as his arms and legs were twisted under his skin making him fall to the ground, even though he was kneeling.
Not... Not even one word off was allowed? Charlotte's eyes widened in terror.
"P-Please let us be free of injustice." Her father tried to keep going. Blood shot out of his shoulders in an arc.
The nobles jumped back as they were watching the spectacle, keeping a distance from the mess, while looking on in amusement and excitement.
"And reach the light of salvaTION!—" The Marquis words were eaten as his shadow rose up digging into his skin till it seemed like it was wearing him on the inside out. His last words sounded like someone who inhaled helium before his shadow imploded on itself with him, making him disappear leaving behind only bits of blood and flesh.
Silence filled the ballroom for a few moments.
"Well, at least the Hymn was considerate not to leave us with a body to remove." James spoke and the nobles laughed at the joke.
A joke. A joke at Charlotte's father's death.
Next up was Charlotte's mother, Marquise Echo.
Music played once more.
Charlotte blinked at the notes of a violin.
A wind spell?
Her mother was a skilled Wind Caster, yet the upbeat notes were at odds with the morose situation.
The nobles looked intrigued.
James looked alarmed and uncertain.
The Marquise opened her mouth to let out a gentle call. A falsetto.
A summoning? Charlotte blinked, wondering if her mother actually knew how to Summon an Aria. A being born of the magical energies of the world when it was first Sung into existence by the goddess.
Only for the attempt to ubruptly stopped, as her mother's eyes widened, before she started coughing up blood. Then the winds became visible and slashed her.
""Mother!"" Diana and the other Echo siblings cried out for the Marquise.
"Mother, what's wrong? This isn't a backlash!" Sean cried out, trying to reached the Marquise, yet unable to from the chains holding him in place.
"James! What did you do!?" Diana cried out, tears running down her reddened eyes. Terror, rage and angiush overtaking her. "Have you no honor? To attack mother while she's preforming her sentencing!"
"Yes, it isn't allowed for the goddess's judgement to be interrupted, lest she turns her wrath upon us." It was the Duke himself was the one who answered. "However, you yourselves failing to preform due to sickness... or poison is completely upon you."
James and the nobles laughed in relief, while praising the Duke's cleverness.
"P-Poison?" Diana cried out.
Charlotte blinked as she thought back to her last meal three hours ago.
Ah, it must have been then. She realized. Although as if in realization, her chest began burning.
Her siblings felt a similar pain. Thankfully the younger ones, were spared. Lily and Robert just looked scared and tearful. Maybe they'll be allowed to live after all.
Charlotte realized in that moment, that even thought she isn't of age like her older sister, where one is introduced to noble society, it seems sixteen was seen by the Duke as old enough to die regardless.
"My children..." Marquise Lila sang without missing a beat. "Revenge," sudden tension rose for the nobles once more. "Is a dark path~. Have you not the strength to walk it." She sat up, looking at them through blood, wounds and rotting flesh. Skin pale white with her veins visibly red and black, crawling upon her body. The singing backlash seemed to accelerate her poisoning and death. "Then become the one to go through it, or leave it~."
It was less of a Song, and more of a last message for her children.
Charlotte still didn't cry.
The music abruptly.
"Live well. I love you." The words were not Sung.
Suddenly the Marquise was frozen in place. The backlash hit and time left her in that agonizing moment at the point of death. Stuck in that moment for eternity.
All Charlotte could focus on were her mother's emerald eyes.
The last sound Charlotte heard was the guttural scream of Diana's anguish as she blackout.
"Uuurgh, my head." I moaned as I woke up.
God, I feel like I'm burning up. Well my chest feel like it's burning. Heart burn sucks.
Actually, wait, if I'm only suffering heart burn that would be extremely lucky. Probably. I'm not sure how badly my burns would be.
It's weird that only my chest burn, and not even that bad. Does that mean the nerves in the rest of my skin are all charred off?
Scratch that, how the fuck am I alive?
I blinked and opened my eyes, letting them adjust to the light to see...
Rich people in fancy dresses and suits?
"Huh? Did I actually land in heaven?" Which is... cool, but maybe I'm in the wrong heaven?
"James! You vile cur! Are you enjoying this!? You sick twisted scum! I will end you! I curse you all to the Silence!" A man in posh suit and in chains was shouting at the people in from of me. At one smug guy in the front.
Wait. I'm also in chains.
I grabbed at them for a moment, they were those manacles that you'd see in cartoons and old movies.
I pulled at them, and nope. They don't break. They're real. And heavy too. I can feel ones on my ankles too.
So, this isn't heaven. Shit.
"Huh? Who's speaking? W-Why can't I move my body?" A voice spoke in my head.
"Huh? Where are... are you speaking in my head?" I said to myself as I looked around. Some of the rich people were looking at me amused that I was talking to myself. Other's even pointing and whispering, something about me having gone mad.
Hmm, looking at my hands, they don't look like my hands.
"Who are you? What is this? Have I truly gone mad? Then why am I still witness this cruel execution?" The voice spoke dejectedly to herself.
"Please, Sean de Echo, let's not resort to hurdling insults like peasants. Either maintain your dignity as a noble and Sing. Maybe the goddess will smile upon you." The smug noble in the lead said. "Or... they will be burned."
I saw those bodyguards standing to the side raise a hand and fireball ignited and floated in front of their palms.
They were aimed at me—No. To the kids next to me.
Okay, fuck up situation. Quick assessment, this isn't the afterlife, there is magic and there seem to be like old-timey nobles.
Yep, I have been isekai'd.
"W-What are you saying? Isekai'd? Old timey? Please explain what you mean. Or at least if I am to face death, then let me do so with dignity rather than acting like a raving madwoman." The voice sobbed.
And it seems like I was insert as possessing the protagonist. Oh boy, not even summoned into another world, just sent directly into the body of someone about to die. Whoever is managing souls and afterlife in this universe is a hack. No, an Aqua!
"P-Possessed! Are, are you a lament of some kind? Why have you took over my flesh, spirit of one who's gone?" The voice asked, and something weird happened. When they said "lament" somehow I got the intention that they meant "ghost" or "dead spirit".
Doesn't that mean they should understand me what I say "Isekai"?
No, no. Not important right now. I should answer the poor girl, rather than let her continue to freak out.
Hi! Name's Charlie Dio! No relation to the legend or the vampire.
"H-Hello. I am Charlotte de Echo, and I do not understand to whom you are referring." Said Charlotte.
Oh sweet! Same name. And that's an inside joke, I'll explain later.
As for possessing you? I have no idea how that happened.
I mean, I died and woke up here so I guess you can say I am a spirit.
"How can you be so sure?" Asked Charlotte.
Well, I was doing a gig on a big open stage. First real one. Buuut there was some college protest next door, some asshole threw some molotov, the fireworks went off early, I'm pretty sure someone stuck some homemade napalm bomb, I was drench in gas and fire right as I finished my number. The rain didn't help. Then lightning struck me.
Literally. Like hit the guitar and me, then fired off into the stage lights.
So yeah, I'm 100% dead back home, but it was 100% badass.
"...I did not understand a word of what you just said. Only that it was horrific." Charlotte said back. "Why would you be happy that you were smote by the Gods?"
I don't know if god was actually personally involved in my death or not. I would have liked to play more concerts, but dying in first one wasn't as lame as I though given how I went out. In fact, it was a pretty awesome way to go!
So if it was an accident then cool, and if it was a god, then awesome.
"It is certainly inspiring of awe and terror." Charlotte said back.
Suddenly some harsh guitar starting playing somewhere.
"Huh? Where's the music coming from?" I looked around as I noticed something odd. No one has any instruments.
"The Hymn is playing it." Charlotte explained, sounding confused that I didn't get such an obvious thing.
The Hymn? I feel you're saying it in a different context that what I'm used to.
"How can you not know what a Hymn is? Aren't you a Musician?" Charlotte replied, sounding more confused, and the meaning of "Musician" came with the same feeling of the word "Mage".
Huh? Mages and Musicians are synonyms here?
Before I could feel excited about this, the guy from earlier, one of the death row people (like me, need to remember that and find someway to get out of it), started shout singing. Badly.
"You want me to Sing~? Then I'll tell you what I think of that~! I think you and your honorless wretches SHOULD ALL D—"
Sean exploded.
Like a sudden popped balloon of flesh and gore, he popped and blew up everywhere showering the place with blood and body bites.
...What. The. Fuck!?
"Sean! No..." Charlotte sobbed with a low tone.
Okay, her reaction is fucking weird. It's way too muted.
He's, he's family, right? I can feel that from you.
"M-My elder brother. He, he... he used to... he was the heir of the Echo family." Charlotte said, again muted in her tone.
Then why aren't you shouting? Why aren't you angry?
"A... A noble lady mustn't lost control of her emotion. Mustn't disgrace her name or status by acting hysterical." Charlotte answered back like she was reading from a textbook.
Charlotte, this isn't about bullies pushing you around in school or in a club. This is real. This is your family.
Charlotte let out low sob sounds, even thought sounded like she was only letting them out because she couldn't contain them.
"You, you aren't upset either." She said back.
I'm in shock, Charlotte!
"Sean, NO!" The other older Echo girl, next to me shouted and cried as she feel to her knees, head down as she cried.
"Hahaha! What a fool! Honestly, to be so overcome by rage that he'd invite the attention of the Last Note." The lead smug asshole, laughed and held his head in his hands as he shook his head. "How stupid."
Last Note?
"The, the goddess of the end. The returner of the inevitable Silence." Charlotte explained through her teary voice.
From the context and meaning send by her intent, I understood it was what the called their Shinigami.
So Death Gods. Cool. Got it.
Now, explain to me what the hell is going on?
"It is hopeless. Please give me back my body, lament. Let me just face my death." Charlotte whined.
Charlotte!
"W-What?" She said startled from my shout.
Look, I don't know what's going on, but I seemed to have a second chance at life. I want to live and I'm pretty damn sure so do you.
There isn't time to waste. Please tell me what's going on here. The basics of this situation.
I should have died but I'm not. I'm here. It must be for a reason!
So help me, help you!
"I..."
"Now, Diana. It is finally your turn." The asshole lead noble said.
"James, please." The girl, Diana pleaded.
"Diana. Sing." James snarled, no longer smirking. "I assure you, that poison is much more painful than the immediate death Singing can bring you."
Poison?
"We were all slipped poison into our last meal, so as to sabotage our Singing attempt. To ensure that it fails." Charlotte replied.
Charlotte. Please, explain.
"I... very well." She said, resigned, like it won't matter either way. "It all began with my sister's betrothal to Duke Stringson's son, James—"
No! No. Too far back and irrelevant.
I meant the Singing thing. Why does it feel important that I could hear the capitalization when people say it?
"...To Sing, to Dance, to act with passion is to invoke Apollonia," the word came with the same meaning as Magic, capital M. "And in doing so we create a Performance for the Gods, bringing their attention upon us. For that our very mana judge us for them. To show their approval with Spells, or their disapproval with smites." Charlotte said, expositioning the magic system of this world to me. Her words sounding like they came from a textbook or a well known saying or poem. "Although, while that is the teachings of Musicality—"
Their religion is called Musicality? Where do I sign up!
"—We do not Sing. Not even nobles. Only those of royal blood, those chosen by the Gods know how to Sing, know how to rhyme the words." She said. "The backlash of messing up a music performance is pain of differing degrees. And you have seen the backlash, the Gods' disapproval, for those who misperform a Song." She finished with sob upon remember her older brother, and looking at the statue of a woman (which I don't think is a statue with how life-like it looked), also her parents whom have died.
"Lord James, please. If not spare me, then at least let my younger siblings go. They shouldn't fall to your wrath too." Diana said, pleadingly.
James gave a smile, that wasn't sincere.
"Sing, Diana. Be judged by the Goddess and I assure you, they can walk out of here." He said back.
Charlotte. Charlotte, I need you to listen to me. What happens if you play a song, right? Actually, how can you play music without instruments?
"Through the Hymn. The Maestro Hymns are contacted to our family. Each Echo is bonded to one when they are born into this world. They play the music as long as we play it correctly in our mind." Charlotte explained.
Almost immediately I could feel this link in the back of my mind, like it was coming out of my soul from my back.
I looked behind me and blinked. How long has that been there?
The... magic spirit thing, the Hymn looked like it as made right out of my own shadow. Or Charlotte's shadow. Like when how light hits a person and their shadow is reflected? It's as if when light or reality hits me, it? She? The Hymn is reflected.
The Hymn looked like someone took part of the universe and reshaped it into a humanoid figure, that vaguely looked like the person it was attached to.
It looked at me curiously, but the undertone of annoyance and disapproval was still present. Which somehow I knew had been there even before I arrived. Kind of like how, this Hymn was suppose to be all tones of blue and dark colors, but me being present made it have a splash of orange and bright colors added in.
It looked like a light or energy version of what I think I or Charlotte looked like. It was regal and elegant in a way I couldn't imagine by self being. Not even Charlotte imagined herself could feel, from our shared emotions.
Right. She plays the music?
The Hymn nodded.
"Yes." Charlotte said, resigned.
Alright, you play the music! I Sing! Deal?
The Maestro Hymn seemed intrigued and cautiously eager as she nodded.
Okay, if I got this right, if a music piece is played correctly a Spell is cast. What happens if a Song is played correctly?
"Such a thing is not within the capacity of—"
Charlotte. We're at the end of the road here. There's nothing else to lose.
Just humor me. What happens if a Song is played correctly?
"...As the old scriptures goes: 'Those who Sing their Heart out they Shape the World, so it is theres to behold.'"
I grinned devilishly.
Oh yeah. This is my time.
And here is the moment. James von Stringson thought with a grin.You get what you deserve Diana. For daring to bully my cute and innocent Eleanor.
James had been living a confined life as a noble. Only acting as his father intended, saying when he was taught to say and befriending who he was taught to befriend.
He could see from the beginning Diana de Echo and her family for the leeches they were, who were climbing the ranking for generations without pause, and how the Stringson was simply another step for them to reach beyond their station. Filthy newblood trash.
It was only when he went to the noble academy that fortune smiled upon him, as James met the love of his life.
Eleanor la Nova was the first person to see him, understand him. She was always willing to listen with that permanent smile. She was smart and resourceful too, like when he helped him sneak out of the academy when he wanted some fresh air, or to experience the commoner's life, without the pressures of nobility.
Or when she warned him about his rivals or their plots that she happened to overhear when passing by their dorms.
It was because of her that the Echo family are getting their just desserts.
Not that Eleanor had suggested anything cruel or savage like what is happening here. No, that was a burden he took upon himself for the sake of love. To keep the delicate Eleanor's hands clean.
He simply acted on her concerns. When she worried about the difference in their station, he understood that he must simply be brazen in showing the world that they're together, so that no one could try to separate them. When she worried about the Echo family, and their influence that could rival the Stringson and their clean reputation, James took it upon himself to secretly sabotage everything that they are, to ensure that they can't make demands of his family or father. When Eleanor was concerned about his father rejecting their union, that he would stand with the Echoes, due to their useful alliances, James simply went destroyed any relations between the Stringsons and the Echoes, making sure that allying with them would be seen as a disgrace.
Eleanor thankfully was spared from realizing the cruelty of what was necessary to do. Sadly except today.
But after today everything would be fine. Eleanor service in aiding him prove the corruption of the Echoes would make sure her achievements reward her, and raise her's and her family status. Her rare Hymn, the Rehearsal Hymn, that ensure no wounds upon those Playing Music near her, or even healing any injury Musicians surrounding it end up with. It was a Hymn that took 100% of the backlash of the Musician, thus allowing them to actually practice their craft without fear. Musicians with the Rehearsal Hymn or just being friends with them didn't need to rely on the Temples' Sacred Null grounds, to practice. Not that the Temple allowed any but their priests or priestesses, or the most "pious" (I.E. the ones who gave them the most money) to use the sacred grounds.
Music started playing, a harb note, Diana's standard Water Spell. James began to chuckle as that would just accelerate the poison, as it followed the principle of flow, thus making the poison flow more easily. She will die as ignorantly as her mother. But then again, Diana was never one to think things through, it's why it was easy to plant Eleanor's treasured necklace that her deceased mother gave her, into Diana's room and use that as proof of Diana's bullying, and then break off the engagement.
CLAP!
A loud sound banged into the room, causing the Music to abruptly stop as Diana lost her focus. However she barely got injured, the backlash only sending the wave of sharp water crescents everywhere, yet only causing her dress along her arm to be cut, not even skin deep.
Someone interrupting a Performance, specially when it was an execution, a Judgement by the gods was suicidal. It meant the gods would punish them much harsher in their next Performance.
Thus it was to James and all the nobles' surprise when it was Diana's own sister that stopped her.
"Sorry everyone!" Charlotte de Echo said cheerfully as she smiled not looking at anyone in particular. "Is it okay if I play first? The poison is painful, I don't think I was given the right dose for my size, so could I just get it over with?"
Something was off, James couldn't help but think. Charlotte de Echo was always known as a wallflower without anything worth mentioning to her.
Yet this sudden new presence to her, her smile and demeanor in what should be a painful death was unnerving.
"Charlotte, what are you saying? Please don't—" Diana started to cry out.
"Diana." Only for the previously demure Charlotte to cut her off with a firm tone, before smiling gently. "Everything is gonna be okay, alright?"
Her now commoner's dialect, speaking over her elders and not referring to her elder sister with respect and reverence, again, James couldn't help but feel an odd premonition.
"Very well." The Duke responded, ultimately taking the decision out of James's hand. "It matter not what order you Sing in, only that you do." Yet... was that a note of interest in his father's tone, James wondered.
Charlotte gave a thumbs up, then closed her eyes.
The longest guitar string echo slowly, from quiet to loud through out the ballroom. Little did the noble notice, that it echoed across the castle.
The guitar notes started playing, repeating, yet their echo was reverberating in a way the nobles never heard before.
After the fourth repeat, Charlotte took a breath and would Sing her last words.
"Memories consume~."
The moment the words left my mouth I had to force my brain to focus on the hear and now, and not the sounds and images that assaulted my mind.
Memories of Charlotte de Echo's life.
Memories that I didn't have time to parse or look through, as the new instincts I gained from Charlotte told me to never make a mistake Playing Music, let along Singing.
Yet, Charlotte's fear was easy to squish down, as my years of ingrained practice and habit to play without missing a beat, even while being heckled, won out. Muscle memory for the win.
"Like opening the wound~." And immediately right after, it felt like a dam in Charlotte broke as I felt in second-hand, everything she had bottled up till now.
Tears fell from my eyes, even if I didn't feel like the one crying. The people around me gasped but I ignored them.
"I'm picking me apart again~." I then opened my eyes and smiled. The nobles leaned away from me.
I had a hunch. A gut feeling on how magic here works. Sure depending on the beat, happy or sad, slow or fast that would dictate a Spell based on one of the four elements, but what if you mix it up?
After all, songs don't only have sound, they also have lyrics.
I used the words "wounds" and "picking me apart", but nothing happened to me. Maybe because I haven't finished the intro yet.
However.
"You all assume~," I couldn't help but feel that intent also matters. After all, if you Play right so no mistakes happen, the only thing left would be guiding the spell right? I might be theorizing outta my ass, but! "I'm safe here in my room~. Unless I try to start again~."
A glowing line erupted in front of me, then moved to box me and Charlotte's siblings in a magic barrier.
The look of shock on the nobles who began to be worried and talking to others next to them, or their knights was delicious.
"I don't want to be the one~, the battles always choose. 'Cause inside I realize~, that I'm the one confused~."
The words seem to strike Charlotte in her heart. The nobles looked confused that I wasn't smote until now.
"I don't know what's worth fighting for~, or why I have to scream." The nobles flinched expecting a scream, yet surprised when nothing happened. "I don't know why I instigate~, and say what I don't mean. I don't know how I got this way~, I know it's not alright."
The words reverberated across the room, the castle and I could feel them reach out across the duke's lands.
Some of the nobles in front of me started crying, somehow feeling a connection, a reflection of themselves in those words.
James and his father looked terrified.
"Divine inspiration?" The Duke whispered with fear.
"So, I'm brea~king the habit~, I'm brea~king the habit~."
The music calmed for a moment. I looked forward and locked eyes with James von Stringson. Threateningly, challengingly, I met his worried gaze.
You brought this on yourself buddy.
I could feel an energy bubbling up high in the sky.
"Tonight."
As if her words were a cannon's fire, thunder rang out from the skies, and lightning fell down around the castle, visible from the windows.
Charlotte couldn't believe that Charlie was still Singing without any backlash.
Her words weren't complex or perspicacious, yet they flowed easily, pleasantly to the ear. It almost seemed like soliloquy.
The music was heavier now. The guitar and drums having a rugged feeling to them.
Charlotte couldn't help but revel a little bit at the fear and flinching of the hypocrites with masks of nobility in front of her, as the Song continued without Charlie suffering anything till now.
"Clutching my cure~."
Charlotte was shocked. Those words, did Charlie plan them? What sort of divine bard was she?
A gentle green glow covered Charlotte, along with Diana, Robert and little Lily, all of them suddenly breathing easier and any small injuries of bruiser they had vanished.
With just a simple phrase, they were cured.
"That was a Poison Dragon's venom." The wide-eyed Duke said to himself. The venom acted slowly, the same as the dragon's cruel nature, yet its deadliness was in that it had no cure.
And now the Echo children were cured of it.
Oh goddess, what have they brought upon themselves.
"I tightly lock the door~, I try to catch my breath again."
All the gates and doors of the castle abruptly locked down, trapping the nobles with the Singing girl.
"Bring down that barrier and stop her now!" The Duke stood up from his seat and shouted.
"F-Father?" His idiot son looked surprised at the Duke's reaction.
"B-But my lord, the Performance—" One of the Musician Knights said with hesitance.
"Blast the Performance whomever stops her may never play Music again, but I will ensure they are wealthy till their dying days. Do it now!" The Duke ordered.
"I hurt much more~, than anytime before~, I had no options left aga~ain~."
Once more, Charlotte's emotions ran free. Striking her, biting into her heart. She could only be thankfully that none of her pain was physical, yet this pain, this sadness, anger and guilt was more intense that anything she had felt in her life.
"Charlie, why? Why does it hurt? Did you know your Song would do this? Please. Please stop, death is preferable to this!" She cried out to the lament.
"Do you know what the purpose of song, of music is, Charlotte?" Charlie "spoke" back to Charlotte, her thoughts open to the noble girl. "I don't know about you here, but back home? Music is meant to express our emotions. To let out and speak the things we couldn't put into words." She said, to the confusion of Charlotte.
Singing? Just to express emotions? What lunacy of a world did Charlie come from?
"I don't want to be the one~, The battles always choose~. 'Cause inside, I realize~ that I'm the one confused~."
"And I need you to sing with me, Charlotte. Listen to the chorus, memorize it. I need you to repeat it with me."
Charlie Sang, while speaking toward Charlotte at the same time. Her muscle memory carrying on her Singing for her.
Terror ran through Charlotte's veins at Charlie's words.
"Me? Sing? N-No! Charlie, please don't make me do that! You've seen into my mind, didn't you? I know you did. You've seen what happened to my parents! My brother! Please, don't ask that of me." Charlotte pleaded.
The guitar notes beat louder this time, the drums thundering like the storm outside the castle.
"I don't know what's worth fighting for~, or why I have to scream~! I don't know why I instigate~, and say what I don't mean~!"
"What has living as you have been this far got you, Charlotte? How long are you gonna be afraid? Or just lock up your emotions? We are literally at death's door, and surrounded by enemies. Look at them! They are firing their Spells trying to break down the barrier. You have to Sing. You have to back me up in case they stop me. I can keep the music going with Hymmy. You need to be ready to Sing, Charlotte."
"I don't know how I got this way~, I'll never be alright~!"
"I can't! I can't!"
"Yes you can. Because I believe in you." Charlie said with absolute confidence.
"You don't even know me! We have only just met!" Charlotte shouted back in incredulity.
"But you can know me. Through this Song. I believe anyone can Sing, and I felt your emotions, your memories. I know you are strong, its why you never broke, so you little brother and baby sister would never feel afraid, so they never see you cry and could always lean on you. So believe in me who believes in you!"
Charlie raised her hands, wrists wrapped by the manacles. Power flowing through her as the music rose higher and higher.
"So, I'm brea~king the habit, I'm brea~king the habit, tonight!"
With a pull of her arms, the chains broke and as Charlie stood up, the chains binding her feet shattered as well.
She took a deep breath and scream.
"I'll paint it on the wa~~alls!"
A wave of force shot out of Charlie's body, not touching the Echo scions, yet for everyone else, they were slammed away into the walls.
Only the Musician Knights stood their ground due to their magical might and experience, and even they had to put up a shield and were still pushed back.
Yet the Musicians started Playing their Music to cast their Spells. It was easily overshadowed by Charlie's Song, but they could at least launch their Spells at greater power.
"'Cause I'm the one at fault."
The castle started shaking, as the sound of thunder grew louder.
The roof across the castle erupted, and broke upward into the tempest winds of the sky.
The Musicians Spells finally overwhelmed Charlie's barrier and shattered it.
The Duke created chains with an Earth Spell, that held Charlie in place.
The Musician fired another round of Spells to burn, cut and destroy the Singer.
"I'll never fight aga~ain!"
All Musician lost their magic. Every single Musician that was trying to fight or stop Charlie suddenly felt their contracts to their Hymns broken, and their own mana wouldn't move to harm others anymore.
Yet there spells were still launched and hit Charlie, who was stuck in place.
With her last breath she shouted the next line.
"And this is how it e~~nds!"
Charlotte, this is it. This is the moment.
We either die.
Or together. We live.
I could feel it, the girl still didn't believe in herself. She didn't see the point in singing, when I controlled the body, but my gut feeling told me this would work. I cover played this song hundreds of time to know how some variations went.
Also magic is a thing here, so I knew it would work. Every stupid thing I've tried has thus far, even if I didn't know or wasn't sure of it would.
Thus with her last bit of courage, Charlotte finally stopped holding back.
"I don't know what's worth fighting for~, or why I have to scream~!"
Her voice was muted, a smaller echo, yet I could feel her, her spirit hovering behind me.
I could see it in some of the nobles' eyes, and as I looked behind me, I saw Charlotte's soul hovering next to me.
Then she was back in our body, and I couldn't stop the massive grin on my face as a surge of power unlike anything I've ever felt or imagined filled me.
"But now I have some clarity~, to show you what I mean~!" I screamed, with joy overwhelming me.
I took a step forward and shattered the chains and Spells upon me. My life, my memories, my emotions filled Charlotte's mind.
"I don't know how I got this way~, I'll never be alright~!" I shouted, fully accepting this new life with everything it would bring.
I walked toward the one who caused all of Charlotte's suffering, James von Stringson.
I pulled my hand back behind me into a tight fist.
"So, I'm brea~king the ha~bit~!"
Lightning shot down from the stormy sky, and struck my fist. It enveloped it with a ball electricity.
"I'm brea~king the ha~bit~!"
And with every beat of the kick drum lightning hit my fist more and more, each time increasing the size of the electric plasma ball I was pulling behind me. From the glow and weight, it felt like it was the size of a car.
"I'm brea~king the ha~bit~!"
I was right at the asshole noble's face. He tripped and feel on his ass as he was stumbling backwards, looking at me his face completely pale and utterly scared. All that haughty demeanor now gone.
With the last word of the Song, I punch forward.
Lightning struck hundreds of times across the dukedom.
The earth rumbled and quaked reflecting the shaking of the heavens.
Commoners and other nobles across the land were praying and asking the goddess for forgiveness, or to just know what they did wrong.
"Tonight."
All the lightning dissipated as the music died quickly, because that's how I imagine this version of "Breaking the Habit" going. Ooops, habits die hard.
Still, as my fist stopped an inch from the duke's son's face, the shithead was frozen in place.
No. From how his eyes rolled back into his head, he had passed out. Also, I could smell and see that he soiled himself. From both ends.
Ew.
Regardless.
"Hey you lousy wufflefucks!" I cried out as I stepped on James's body like he was some forest game I shot.
I couldn't help how hyped I felt. It was like I was overflowing with magic energy, and could do anything, without even needing Music or Singing.
Lightning shot down from the sky once more, as I thrust my hand to the side.
All that energy gathered at my hand, and as I closed my fingers, that energy turned into a structure. As the lightning broke apart with the light show dying down, I was holding an electric guitar.
My old axe back in my hand.
I swung it up and rested it against my shoulder like a barbarian as I addressed the head honcho of this place, the duke himself.
"Does this count as the Goddess saying we're innocent or not!" I shouted.
This was how my new life in the world of Harmonia started.
Charlie Dio isn't done rocking just yet!
AN:
Violin - Wind
Drums - Earth
Piano - Water
Guitar - Fire
Upbeat tone - Wind
Sad tones - Water
Aggressive beats - Fire
Not sure what for Earth
Latin music - Holy/Light
Indian music - Gravity/Dark
Noble prepositions:
Royalty - Om
Duke - von
Marquis - de
Count - du
Viscount - le
Baron - la
Lord - af
Knight - none
Noble naming: Title, given name, land owned, (own family name if lady is married), preposition, family name/partner family name.
