Chapter 122: Back to Basics
"This is..."
"Practice, just practice."
After confirming Ciaccona's willingness, Aeron activated his Reality Marble, placing the two of them within Ciaccona's inner world—a vast grassland filled with various types of musical instruments.
"Do you remember this place?"
"Of course I wouldn't forget such an important place."
For Ciaccona, this was the most significant place of all.
Back then, watching Aeron return from death, rise again, unleash his Reality Marble, and together with her and Rover defeat Cristoforo, Ciaccona had been utterly shocked.
And... it was thanks to him and Rover that she had been able to bravely face the truth about her family in front of the playwright.
...No matter what, I'll definitely remember this for a lifetime.
Thinking this, Ciaccona secretly channeled a bit of her Resonance Power toward Aeron.
Then, the feathered pen pendant hanging on Aeron's chest emitted a faint, clear glow.
"Huh? What's wrong?"
Though, Aeron himself didn't notice it.
"Hehe. It's nothing~"
While Ciaccona liked many things about Aeron, her favorite was undoubtedly this.
Even though he always seemed cautious and guarded around others, he would always open up to them without reservation.
"By the way, partner, why did you bring me here?"
"To test you, of course."
Test...? Did it have to be here? I've sung and played for you plenty of times before.
"Because the situation is different now. This is to see if you're suited to be an 'idol.'"
He had only explained the concept of an idol to Ciaccona before, but to determine if she was suited for it, some testing was necessary.
So, the most important thing first was—
"Smile for me."
"...?"
Ciaccona was taken aback by such a sudden request.
"Um... partner... what do you mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. Just do as I say."
"But that feels too forced, not natural enough..."
"Ciaccona, I love you."
"Wha-wha-wha-wha-what?! Why are you suddenly saying that?!"
In an instant, Ciaccona's face went through a series of natural expressions—shock, confusion, and happiness—that could easily be included in a film school textbook.
"E-even if you suddenly say that... hehehe."
Watching Ciaccona's silly grin, even Aeron couldn't help but marvel at how perfectly crafted her face was.
Her singing and dancing fundamentals were certainly not lacking, but as an idol, what mattered more was undoubtedly her looks.
With a face like hers, even if she handed the microphone to the audience for a chorus of "Daisuki" or took the stage with a Litang accent, it wouldn't matter. Her specs were simply too overpowered.
Ciaccona was both beautiful and captivating, with a sweet smile and even a strangely charming edge to her. It was just perfect.
If it weren't for him, someone else would surely have approached her for similar work in the future.
But Aeron would never let anyone else have her. He would personally guide her to the peak.
"Alright, you pass!"
"...?"
Ignoring Ciaccona's expression of grievance as if she had been betrayed, Aeron continued to ask the next question.
"Next question, what are your thoughts on the direction you want to take in the future?"
"Ah! Speaking of that, I'd like to try an actor's style too!"
"For example?"
"I bloom amidst the slaughter..."
"What the hell are you even acting out, I ask you? Put away your signature weapon."
"It was just a spontaneous joke! Singing really is more suitable for me!"
This was no surprise to Aeron, and it was naturally the most fitting path for Ciaccona.
Since he had promised Carlotta to achieve results, he definitely needed to deliver.
However, without professional arrangements at the moment, an environment where the two of them could independently explore musical styles was most crucial. That's why Aeron had rushed here with Ciaccona without delay.
"Alright, let's give it a try today. It's best to finalize the style of the first song. Even if it doesn't go smoothly, as long as we can confirm the direction for the future, that will be enough."
"Eh..."
After hearing Aeron's words, Ciaccona widened her eyes and covered her slightly agape mouth with one hand.
"...What's with that expression?"
"Nothing, just marveling... When did you become so diligent, partner?"
In Ciaccona's mind, when Aeron was still a priest in the Order, he would avoid troublesome matters whenever possible. If it wasn't absolutely necessary to step forward, he wouldn't even say a word.
"Do you people really have to expose my flaws every single time?"
"...Hehe."
Ciaccona stifled a laugh. Sometimes, Aeron really wanted to know what his image was in their minds.
But never mind, there were more pressing matters now. It was time to get to work.
"Well, but... before that, we might need to do a bit more preparation."
Then, Aeron glanced around, surveying the instruments already present on the field.
Scattered across the grassland were mainly guitars and keyboard instruments. Based on past experience, as long as Ciaccona's Resonance Power was infused into them, they could be played simultaneously.
While the ability to play without manual control did save a lot of time... it still lacked something for the musical style they were preparing.
Going purely classical wasn't impossible, but Aeron wanted to establish a solid foundation from the start. They definitely needed to add something more.
Fortunately, this wasn't a major issue. Instruments and equipment could be prepared by Carlotta.
After all, as a bard who composed and wrote lyrics, communicating with Ciaccona through music was the way to go.
As for what song to use... this was something Aeron needed to think about carefully.
To be honest, in his previous life, he had little opportunity to come into contact with popular songs... Actually, scratch that, he didn't even understand the standards for what was considered popular.
Selecting a song from his limited memories—one with a consistent style, a pleasant melody, and something memorable—was somewhat challenging.
But fortunately, there was one, and Ciaccona and the others should be quite familiar with it too.
With this thought in mind, Aeron picked up a nearby guitar.
[Barrier environment, adjust; Instant Mastery, activate.]
In an instant, the clear sky within the barrier turned to night, and the flowers on the grassland began to glow like neon lights.
Immediately afterward, knowledge about guitar construction, fingering techniques, chords, music theory, playing styles, and emotional resonance flooded into Aeron's consciousness like a tide.
"Let's use this one for the demonstration."
Then, Aeron's fingertips swept across the strings, and blue musical notes flowed out from above.
"Time to shine and I'm down to ride"
"I'm gonna drive until the break of dawn, wilding out"
"I'm on a mission grinding out...."
Hearing Aeron's singing, Ciaccona was momentarily stunned.
It wasn't the narrative style commonly found in Rinascita. The melody carried a unique sense of relaxation characteristic of city nights, with a light and rhythmic beat, smooth chords, and the verse Aeron hummed also featured a slightly lazy, relaxed pop vocal style—simple yet catchy melodic lines.
At first, it was just curiosity, which quickly turned into focus, and finally, only unconcealable shock remained on Ciaccona's face.
Aeron didn't play for long, as a single guitar alone couldn't fully capture the essence of the original song.
But he believed it was enough for Ciaccona.
"Alright, what are your thoughts? Tell me."
"P-partner, you can do this too?! That's amazing! I like you (*≧▽≦)!"
"Thanks for the praise, but that's not what I want to hear."
Wow... what a blockhead.
However, Ciaccona was used to Aeron being like this—no matter how many things were in front of him, he always prioritized what interested him most.
"Hmm... I've heard this song on the pre-contract channel too... What aspect do you want me to talk about, partner?"
Aeron gently set down the guitar and walked over to Ciaccona. "What was the focus of the narrative poems you wrote before?"
"Huh? The focus... would be the content itself, I guess."
After a brief moment of thought, Ciaccona continued.
"The melody should serve the content, be melodious, and guide the listeners into that world."
"So, that's the difference."
As he spoke, Aeron pointed to the guitar he had just played.
"Our future songs need to make people remember the 'melody' itself from the very first listen. In the full version of 'Color Your Night' you heard, it wasn't just the guitar—there were drums, synthesizers, bass, and various layers of sound, right?"
Ciaccona's eyes lit up: "Right! Even though you only played the guitar melody, I could hear the missing parts—the steady electronic rhythm underneath, the long notes creating atmosphere, and maybe some other embellishments... They made the simple melody rich and full."
"Exactly. Unlike the 'immersion' we pursued before, idol songs aim for 'impression' and 'spread.' The latter requires rich arrangements to make the melody vivid, catchy, and memorable."
At this point, Aeron paused, stealing a glance at Ciaccona's expression.
"Hmm... I don't quite understand, but I think I get it."
Good. Hearing this, Aeron felt reassured.
Truth be told, whether she truly understood wasn't important—what mattered was that Aeron had successfully convinced her.
"Don't worry, you won't lose your original style. Instead, it can become a unique feature. Use the piano sound you're most familiar with as the main melody, preserving the narrative, poetic core and emotional expression of your music. But incorporate various modern instruments as accompaniment to enrich the listening experience..."
"So, the style of the first song should be... passionate, energetic, and full of hope—like a flower blooming in the ruins, glowing even in the night. Use the framework of that pop music from earlier, but make the melody brighter and more uplifting!"
Before Aeron could even speak, Ciaccona had already said everything he was about to say.
Oh, damn. Is this what talent looks like? If only he could have encountered someone like this in his past life, someone who could refine their own project so effortlessly.
"Great, we're on the same page. Then I'll leave the lyrics and main melody framework to you—that's what you excel at. I'll figure out the arrangement and production."
As he spoke, the Reality Marble began to slowly fade away. The neon lights of the night and the grassland gradually vanished, and the two of them returned to the square.
"This is our first battle. We can't let the Second Young Lady down."
"Mm, leave it to me! I won't disappoint you, partner!"
Seeing Ciaccona's confident smile, Aeron felt somewhat reassured.
In any case, the most crucial part had been resolved. The rest could be left to Ciaccona—Aeron trusted her abilities.
Well... now it was his turn.