Chapter 45: Piano
Seeing the crowd’s puzzled looks, Sophie Wexler turned and unveiled the instrument.
The instrument was revealed to everyone.
It looked like an exquisite work of art. The black body exuded a sense of solemnity, making the white keys on top stand out sharply. Unique curves and patterns were etched into its frame, a perfect marriage of simplicity and elegance.
Everyone stared at the exquisite work of art before them, their faces filled with confusion. ’What in the world is that?’
At the same time, people in the live stream chat were asking the same thing.
That’s right—Sophie Wexler was also live streaming.
After she had mentioned it to General York last time, he had approved her live streams.
He had even taken the initiative to suggest it this time. Knowing she had a monthly quota for her stream time, he gave Sophie special permission to stream while she was soothing them.
It would help her relieve her work stress while she soothed them—killing two birds with one stone.
However, before the stream went live, they had carefully adjusted the camera angle to ensure it wouldn’t reveal that Sophie Wexler was on a military base.
The camera only showed the piano. Even when Sophie sat down, only her hands were in the frame.
Sophie Wexler had announced the stream on her homepage beforehand, so the moment it went live, a huge wave of people flooded in.
[Never missing one of the streamer’s broadcasts.]
[I’m here for the soothing!]
[You’re all here because the streamer can soothe your Spiritual Seas, but I’m just here because her singing is amazing. Purely a music fan.]
[Hey, person above, no need to throw shade! We’re music fans too, the soothing is just a bonus.]
Ever since the official platform announced that Sophie Wexler’s streams could provide soothing, people had flocked to her channel. Her audience had since split into two factions: one group that came for the soothing, and another that simply loved her music. The two groups bickered in the chat during every stream.
It had even become a regular part of Sophie Wexler’s streams. The bickering was mostly playful, though. Their admiration for her was the same.
This time was no different. But as soon as the new instrument appeared, their debate came to a screeching halt.
The chat went blank for two seconds. Their reaction was identical to everyone in the audience: awe and confusion.
[What is that? Another instrument I’ve never seen before. Where’s the guitar?]
[I’m noticing the streamer always has these weird, new things. It’s pretty fascinating.]
[The guitar last time was from Ancient Aethel. Don’t tell me this one is too?]
[Quick, search it! I have to be the first to know what this is!]
Almost everyone opened their Light Brain at the same time and began a comprehensive search.
[I got it! It’s a piano! And it’s definitely another instrument from Ancient Aethel!]
Sophie Wexler saw the comments in her stream chat and turned to the audience to clear up their confusion. "This is a piano."
’A piano?’
[So she’s using the piano this time instead of the guitar? Can she play something as beautiful as before on a different instrument?]
[I’ve never seen this before either. Can it even sound good?]
[She changed instruments. Does that mean she’s changing the song, too?]
[An instrument from Ancient Aethel... does the streamer actually know how to play it? This looks way harder than the guitar.]
Someone in the stream chat voiced their doubt, which was, of course, the question on everyone’s mind.
Especially Felix York.
He looked at the instrument on stage, a slight frown creasing his brow. Turning to Cillian Forrest, he asked hesitantly, "Will this instrument be as effective as the guitar was?"
Sophie Wexler had only ever used a guitar on her stream before. It was no wonder Felix York was worried about the results of this sudden change.
At his words, Cillian Forrest lifted his gaze to the woman on stage. She sat poised before the piano, her figure slender, a confident smile on her face.
It was as if, in that instant, she commanded her own world.
"It won’t," Cillian Forrest said, his tone firm and certain.
Those two words were filled with absolute trust in Sophie Wexler.
He had gone with her to buy this piano. The moment she saw it, her eyes had lit up, and she couldn’t bear to part with it.
Although he had never heard her play it, Cillian Forrest believed she could absolutely master it.
Amid everyone’s doubt and skepticism, Sophie Wexler slowly raised her hands. As her fingers rose and fell, a stream of beautiful notes flowed from beneath them.
Sophie Wexler tested the keys, and once she was sure everything was in order, she announced, "Today, I’ll be performing a new song for everyone, called ’Star’."
[Whoa, I knew it! She changed instruments, so it had to be a new song!]
[The name alone sounds beautiful. I wonder which planet in the Star System ’Star’ is about.]
[Is no one going to mention how beautiful this piano sounds? I was skeptical before, but after she played just those few notes, I’m completely sold. I can’t wait for the song.]
[Same here!]
"Star" was a theme song Sophie Wexler had composed for a drama series. The show itself never took off, but the song became an explosive hit.
Its rhythm was gentle and perfectly suited for the occasion; Sophie Wexler had chosen it specifically for this soothing session.
Amid the crowd’s anticipation, Sophie Wexler slowly closed her eyes. Her slender fingertips began to dance across the piano keys. With every press, an incredibly soft and beautiful melody flowed from her hands.
The audiences, both in person and in the stream, were completely immersed in the music. And just then, Sophie Wexler began to sing.
"Clusters of shimmering stars, guiding my search, bright or dim, you are the path I seek for my return...."
Her gentle voice floated over the piano’s melody, like a vessel drifting slowly through the cosmic sea of stars. It touched each person’s soul, bit by bit, making them feel as if they were floating in the vast, starry expanse, leaving all their troubles and pain behind.
The moment Sophie Wexler began to sing, the entire audience froze.
A wave of incredibly gentle spiritual power seemed to wash over them with her voice, and they couldn’t help but be submerged in the feeling.
In her song, the rampaging spiritual power in their minds began to slow its assault. Its aggression was whittled away, piece by piece, leaving it unable to muster any thought of resistance.
From the very beginning, Sophie Wexler had channeled her own spiritual power, infusing it into the music to achieve the maximum soothing effect.
But as she sang the song, note by note, she stopped thinking about her spiritual power and instead poured her entire being into the music.
In that moment, it was as if she had become the music itself.
The moment Cillian Forrest sensed the change, he looked up at the stage. The woman’s eyes were gently closed, and she looked like a sprite, chanting a song that was hers alone.
And as she became completely absorbed in the song, the turbulent spiritual power in everyone’s Spiritual Sea grew even calmer.
Cillian Forrest’s gaze deepened, and he watched her without blinking.
’So, she doesn’t need to use any special techniques. As long as she focuses her entire being on the song, her ability reaches its peak!’