68 Stunned Performance

"Well, let's see if you live up to all the hype," said Laurel.

Irritated as I was towards my younger sister's appearance, hearing those words come out of her mouth, a knowing smile unconsciously crept up my lips.

'Oh, she has no idea,' I thought in my mind, beaming with pride. I've watched over Maelriel for years, seeing how he had developed, and I'm more confident in his abilities than I am with myself.

If I hadn't witnessed his journey firsthand, I would have thought he was born already possessing deep musical knowledge. I've seen him go from novice to the person he is now, starting with clumsy fingers to skillfully coaxing music from his instrument like no other.

She doesn't realize the storm she's unleashed by challenging Maelriel. I can't help but look forward to her reaction, knowing the musical mastery she's about to experience. But there's nothing I can do now except watch it unfold.

I looked at Maelriel, gathering his courage as he closed his eyes, and couldn't help but silently cheer him on in my heart 'Show this prick what you're capable of,' I recited in my mind.

I sat that down in another chair, different from the sofa Laurel's currently sitting on, and made myself comfortable. I could see Maelriel's nervous eyes, looking deep in thought, as his gaze alternated between me and Laurel.

"You can start, sweetie," I gently urge him, my words filled with warmth and reassurance.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Laurel's eyes flicker with surprise at the endearing term I used, but I paid it no mind. At that moment, all that mattered was Maelriel and his performance.

Finally, Maelriel took his seat in front of the grand piano, his fingers hovering above the keys with a mix of concentration and anticipation. The room fell into a hushed silence, as if everyone present could sense the weight of the moment.

With a deep breath, Maelriel began to move his fingers gracefully across the ivory keys. The first notes filled the air, resonating with a delicate yet captivating melody.

'I know this one,' I revel in my heart, feeling proud at the privilege in being the one to first hear this masterpiece before everyone else. 'This is his Moonlight Sonata if I recall correctly.'

With a gentle touch, Maelriel began to breathe life into the familiar composition. The opening notes of Moonlight Sonata resonated with a haunting beauty, captivating the hearts of all those present. Each chord was played with precision, evoking a sense of longing and melancholy.

I closed my eyes, allowing the music to envelop my senses. In my mind, I visualized the music sheet, the elegant black ink on crisp white paper, the symbols and notes dancing before me.

"D minor, then A flat major, then C sharp minor..." I followed along, recalling the intricate chords of the Moonlight Sonata, one of Maelriel's masterpieces.

Maelriel's fingers gracefully danced across the keys, seamlessly transitioning from one chord to another. As the Moonlight Sonata progressed, the chords intensified, building an emotional crescendo.

"G minor, then E flat major," I whispered to myself, still following along with the intricate arrangement. But then, as Maelriel approached the expected B flat minor, a momentary jolt of surprise ran through me. The subsequent A flat major came a fraction of a beat too early, disrupting the anticipated flow of the composition.

My eyes snapped open, my senses heightened. Had I misheard? I focused intently, my ears attuned to every nuance of Maelriel's performance. Yet, there it was—the subtle deviation in timing, a minuscule deviation from the expected.

The momentary lapse in synchronization sent a ripple of tension through the room. Maelriel's fingers momentarily hesitated, his expression showing a flicker of concern. Pressure built up, and after one mistake came another. He fat-fingered a chord, accidentally pressing an unnecessary key. He knew that he had made a mistake as his shoulder suddenly trembled at the beat.

'What? What's happening?' I inadvertently sucked cold air.

This has never happened before. He had played this composition countless times with me, and never once had he made a singular mistake, yet alone two in a row.

I could see the tension in his fingers, the slight trembling, and the quick glances he was throwing towards Laurel—observing her expression, trying to see if she had noticed his mistake.

However, I soon realized the true gravity of the situation. This was essentially uncharted territory for Maelriel, who had flawlessly played this composition countless times before. He had never made mistakes and therefore, doesn't know what to do when he makes one. I could see the unfiltered panic in his eyes as he tried salvaging his performance.

Unconsciously, I found myself biting my lips in nervousness.

'No..don't get too hung up on one mistake. Forget the mistake and play the rest perfectly,' I pleaded in my mind. I wished I could offer him some form of telepathic guidance, but I knew my thoughts couldn't reach him.

Then as Riel kept looking towards us, his spectators, I realized one thing—he wasn't looking at our faces to see whether or not we realized his mistakes. Otherwise, he would only look at us every time he made a mistake. No, he was looking at us for our reactions!

'Is it nervousness?' Suddenly, I felt like I had overlooked something grave.

Maelriel had never played for other people, besides me! The intimate setting of our teaching sessions had shielded him from the judgment and scrutiny of others. This was the first time his works are being shared with someone other than my own, and it came with the pressure of him needing to pass this performance in order to play in the royal banquet.

Other than that, a couple more things came to my mind.

As far as I know, Maelriel doesn't have any friends around his age–No, he doesn't have any friends at all. His social circle is practically a dot, consisting of only his own mother, his older sister, and then me.

If he's like this in front of a single person, how much more nervous would he be in front of a crowd consisting of only the most distinguished and illustrious people in the Empire? Any mistake there would be a topic of high society, and such a thought could leave even the bravest and most daring of performers to tremble slightly.

Damn it. I've been so blinded by his genius that I didn't even consider this other facets that could potentially be his weakness.

Is he socially anxious? Is he shy around strangers? I don't know and I can't use the way he acts around myself as a frame of reference because he sees me as such a comforting figure.

Maelriel's performance continued but his confidence has been clearly rattled. Uncharacteristic mistakes poured out one after another, each wrong only adding more pressure to perform better and hastily correct his mistakes. However, this desperate cycle of attempting to fix mistakes only led to more errors—resulting in a vicious cycle of repeated failures that seemed to spiral further and further out of control.

At this point, I couldn't bear to watch any longer. I closed my eyes tightly, wishing for the performance to come to an end, the weight of disappointment heavy on my heart. With every passing note, my breath grew shallow, and my heart pounded in my chest like a relentless drumbeat.

When the final chords faded into silence, I couldn't bring myself to applaud. Instead, I fixed my gaze upon Maelriel, my eyes brimming with encouragement, silently conveying my unwavering support. It was only the first song and yet there was as if a tacit agreement had already been met, deciding that this is as far as it could go.

"Phew… Finally it's over." I heard a dissatisfied voice speak out. Laurel crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. then when I heard Laurel's audible sigh, I braced myself for the scalding remarks I knew was about to come.

"That was it? That's the 'genius' you forced me to come all the way here to watch?" Laurel's eyes narrowed, a skeptical expression crossing her face. "Here I was thinking that you pulled one over me, hiding the real genius behind the shadow of that talented lass. But it seems like that his sister is the real prodigy after all."

I bit my lip, feeling a pang of protectiveness for Maelriel. Despite his faltering performance, I couldn't let Laurel's words go unanswered.

"I know it wasn't his best, Laurel," I replied, my voice tinged with a hint of defensiveness. "He's capable of so much more. You just caught him in an off day."

"Even if he was. Then what if he has another one of these 'off' days during the royal banquet?" Laurel let out a derisive laugh, her eyes filled with contempt. "What will become of me if I let someone like this perform in front of the Court members? the nobles? the royals? In front of the Empress?"

"I should've known what a terrible idea it was to even consider letting an unknown brat perform in such a prestigious event. I only gave it some thought because my older sister suddenly told me of a 'genius' that she'd found but I didn't think that your standards was this low, sis." sneered Laurel. "I've seen better performance from amateurs on the streets"

I couldn't come up with a reply to that. I dragged her all the way to my place during her precious day off because I was so sure that Maelriel could impress. But I wasn't able to foresee this conclusion.

"Sorry, but I won't risk my reputation and the prestige of the event on the hopes that 'he'll be better next time'." with that, Laurel stood up and headed back upstairs. "I'll take a nap in your room. At least your bed is decent"

"…" Silence filled the room, leaving me alone with only Maelriel, after my sister's harsh judgment. Frustration welled up within me, knowing that I had been rendered speechless earlier, unable to offer a rebuttal. It was a rare occurrence for Laurel to get the better of me, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Left with a sinking feeling, I turned my attention to Maelriel, who sat there with his head bowed in shame, fully aware of the magnitude of his earlier performance. I scratched my head in frustration, grappling with the unexpected turn of events. This outcome was something I had never anticipated, and I felt ill-equipped to offer any guidance or advice to my pupil.

I had always believed in Maelriel's immense talent, and this failure was not due to a lack of ability or preparation. It was his nerves, his mental state, that had hindered him. But how could I guide him through this when I had never faced such a predicament in my own life?

As a noble, I had been raised with a firm grasp of proper etiquette and social skills. I knew how to navigate most situations with confidence and had seldom experienced true nervousness.

However, I do know that harsh words and critique isn't what would get him out of this rut, and that's never been my style of teaching anyway. What he needs right now is comfort and reassurance.

Pushing down my dissatisfaction and disappointment, I sat beside my depressed pupil. "Riel…" I called out, my voice full of warmth and concern as I place a gentle arm on his shoulder.

Seeing him remain silent, I realized that the failure earlier must've really hung on his mind. For someone, who had always been correct and had never failed on anything he set his mind on, this must've been a first and eye-opening experience.

"It's fine..everyone stumbles from time to time. The fact that you've only encountered your first failure this late into your life speaks volumes about your talent," I rub his back with my hand, trying my best to reassure him.

"It wasn't that…." replied Riel, his voice hoarse, refusing to admit that he'd made a mistake.

For such a long time, I thought it was a blessing that I had made Maelriel so entirely dependent on me. He has no friends, close acquaintances—no anything but me. In many ways, I filled every role for him: teacher, friend, acquaintance. I was the sole person he confided in outside of his family,

–and I'm content with that arrangement.

However, it turns out that it might have also some consequences that I hadn't considered. For one, I might've inadvertently stunted his social growth and his capacity to interact with other people. That's not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, but him being unable to perform in front of crowds is extremely troublesome.

What should I do then? If it's nervousness, what exactly is causing it? Is it playing in front of other people? The fear of failure? The fear of judgment?

"What happened, sweetie? What made you afraid? You're usually so much better than that." I asked with a coaxing voice, trying to soothe him as much as I could. "Were you nervous because you're afraid they would think your composition isn't good?"

I tried probing him out to find the reason. That way, I would know what exactly is bugging him and then I can easily dispel it.

Seeing him remain silent, I continued. "If that's what's causing you to be nervous, then I tell you—with a great certainty—that your worries are unfounded. You have incredible talent. One wrong performance does not change that."

But he shook his head, his eyes filled with a mix of anxiety and confusion. "No, that's not it…"

His voice trailed off, and I hugged him tighter. Then, sliding my hand behind his head, I guided it between my breasts, purposefully pushing my breasts against his face. His cheeks reddened at the contact, and I saw his eyes widen. "Look at me," I encouraged, my voice soft and understanding. "Do not let one mistake define you. This changes nothing between us."

Still, he hesitated. So I continued holding him, gently rocking us both and hoping my affection and closeness would soothe him. The soft warmth of a motherly embrace can help ease even the heaviest burdens. I purposefully smothered his face in my breasts, feeling his breath quicken in my chest.

However, he remained silent, tense, so I ran my fingers through his hair soothingly. "Tell me sweetie," I urged, tilting his chin up till our eyes met. Clear amethyst eyes stared right into mine as I spoke, "No need for shyness, dear. Tell me what troubled you."

Then finally, he spoke but what came out of his mouth left me confused: "Teacher..you're making it worse," he said.

Huh? Making what wors– Oh my god.

I was just about to push him away lightly—given my strength, I wouldn't have any problem putting some distance between us. However, since he was hugging me tightly with his face buried in my chest, my hands were resting gently on his hips as I subtly held him in place.

As I tried to loosen the embrace, my hands inexplicably brushed against something. Momentary confusion flashed by my face at the contact before the realization finally hit.

I had to suppress the gasp that almost escaped my lips when it finally dawned on me. I know I'm purposefully smothering his face on my breasts right now but before, all that had earned me was an adorably red face and some cute blushes from him, which is why kept doing it.

I liked teasing him, despite how unrefined it was, because of his reactions. It was certainly not 'this' that I'm looking for. In my arms, I could feel Maelriel's body slightly tremble when my hands accidentally brushed against 'it' but he tried to play it off coolly, remaining in my embrace.

He breathed out shakily against my breasts. "Teacher.." he whispered.

"What was that just now, sweetie?" I asked though I already knew the answer. My hands purposefully avoided his hips and thighs as I tried soothing his back.

Yes..he can't remain an innocent boy forever. My foolish heart had clouded my vision, refusing to see my little boy transform into a young man before my eyes. These stirrings within him were only natural for a boy his age. Maturing was inevitable, no matter how tightly I'd wished to hold onto my little angel.

My thoughts then drifted back to the fleeting gazes that he constantly sent our way earlier. Earlier, I had thought that it was because he is gauging our reactions. But it might have been for an entirely different reason after all.

I recalled Laurel's disheveled appearance, her bare breasts just a gust of wind away from being completely exposed, and felt like I finally realized the reason why he kept looking towards us.

Breathing in sharply, I advised, "Sweetie, I think you need to... uh, 'rub' one out and clear your head."

I couldn't believe the words that came out of my mouth, but unfortunately it needed to be said. Yes, I've heard that men's capacity for judgment becomes clouded when they're like this, that explains all those uncharacteristic mistakes earlier.

If he were to fail because of something as stupid as this, then I might just not be able to sleep at night. All those time I spent teaching him gone to waste because my sister wore the most whorish outfit she could think off.

However, his answer left me inexplicably stumped as he tilted his head curiously, "Rub... one out?"

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his reaction. Isn't that what boys do when they're in heat like this? "Then what do you do to make 'that' go away?" I asked.

"I..I don't know. It just becomes like that randomly. Whenever it happens, I feel like I can't think straight," he replied.

Randomly? That doesn't sound right. Though I'm a woman with an image to maintain, even I am aware of the machination's behind a man's erection. How is he not aware of how his own body functions?

I continued to listen on his rambling, saying "Usually, I wait for it to go away. But this time it won't disappear for some reason.."

My eyes couldn't help but twitch in his words. Had these words come from someone else, literally anyone but Maelriel, I would've thought they were lying through the skin of their teeth.

However, this was Maelriel, the guy who fingered–ahem.."massaged" my pussy with a completely straight look in his face. Not to mention I've watched him grow up and I knew that he had absolutely no capacity for lying—always wearing his emotions on his sleeves.

But is it really possible for someone to not know about this? I just couldn't believe that someone could actually be this clueless. This is past being innocent and borders naivety.

But couldn't his family have said anything to him at least? His sister might not know but his mother surely does. "Did your mom not say anything?" I couldn't help but ask.

Maelriel looked at me with sorry eyes, "No..I didn't want to worry them. Plus, it usually always disappears on its own, so I felt like there was no need to."

I sighed inwardly, realizing the complexity of the situation. It seemed inappropriate for a boy to confide in his mother about such matters, and perhaps his family had assumed he would learn about these things elsewhere.

But then it hit me—the same thoughts that I just had earlier. He grew up only with a mother and a sister. Then aside from them, there was only me. Apart from them, there was only me—another woman. He had been devoid of male companionship, lacking any male influence in his life.

'What a bizarre situation..' I thought.

It was so improbable for a boy to reach this stage in his life without knowing anything about such matters. Yet, the starts have aligned in a way that makes me believe that this really is the truth.

This is the definition of being raised in a greenhouse.

"Ah?!" I realized that I was still hugging him tightly, with his face still buried in my breasts, and quickly put some distance between us. My gaze then drifted down and surely enough, the tent was still pitched there. Then looking at his red face, I realized that it's unlikely it's gonna disappear any time soon.

I swallowed my saliva as I asked him, "How long does it take for it to usually go away? Have you tried doing something to get rid of it? Maybe some physical activity or a cold shower?"

Laurel would be extremely busy in the coming week and I doubt I'd be able to invite her again, not after the earlier debacle. Right now, thankfully, she's just taking a nap. I can probably convince her to give Maelriel another chance. I really want to see her surprise when she sees Maelriel's true capabilities.

Of course, before I do that, certain 'things' have to be settled first to ensure to no more mistakes happen, just like it did earlier.