CHAPTER 223: A SONG HE COULDN’T SING

Having spent most of his life in the military, Shiao Yi had a deep admiration for the ideal image of a superior officer.

So, It seemed he projected that image onto Dominic.

It was flattering, yes—but Dominic didn’t want to be seen as an officer.

He only wanted to be seen as Shiao Yi’s lover.

He picked up a small portable wine cask and sat beside Shiao Yi.

Pouring some into a brass cup, he offered it to him.

Shiao Yi refused with a small shake of his head.

Dominic didn’t press him; he knew it wasn’t out of politeness, so he simply drank it himself.

Shiao Yi lay on his back whilegazing quietly at the night sky.

The air was clear, and countless stars glittered above.

With Shiao Yi by his side, the stars seemed to shine even brighter.

Dominic savored the moment—the warmth of Shiao Yi next to him, the faint scent of tea and firewood, the stillness of the wild.

The taste of wine blended with the warmth in his chest, making him feel content.

There was no need for words.

Speaking might have broken the fragile perfection of that peaceful night.

The fire cracked softly and one of the logs shifted.

"Do you ever play an instrument?" Dominic asked quietly.

Suddenly, Shiao Yi asked a question that caught Dominic completely off guard.

His body gave an involuntary jolt of surprise.

—What on earth was Shiao Yi talking about so suddenly?

Dominic felt a wave of panic.

As a nobleman, he had been given many tutors since childhood.

He had learned everything expected of his class: etiquette, history, the structure of society, the rules and customs of the aristocracy, and even dancing for social events.

He had mastered most of them, but there was one area he could never get right—music.

He had no talent for playing instruments like the flute or stringed instruments and he was an awful singer.

He didn’t even like performing and he had thought it didn’t matter much since there would rarely be occasions to do so.

Still, it had stung when his teacher finally gave up on him, saying he had no sense for music.

She had been young, beautiful, and very passionate about her work.

Among all of Dominic’s tutors, she had been the only woman.

She had been hired as his music teacher when he was seven years old.

"It’s a pleasure to meet you. What a beautiful child you are. I’m really looking forward to teaching you. Please, take good care of me as well."

Her smile had been radiant as she reached out to take his hand. He had thought she was far more beautiful than anyone he had ever seen. Her hand had been soft and warm—perhaps, he had thought, this was what a mother’s touch felt like.

Eager to meet her expectations, Dominic had tried his best. But the harder he tried, the more her expression had clouded with disappointment.

Then one day, she had called him over.

"Lord Dominic, playing music isn’t just about making sounds. Even if the notes are correct, a sound without emotion is nothing more than noise. You don’t have the heart to understand music. I can no longer teach you. I’m very sorry."

Her face had been tense, her eyes sad, her voice quiet. Then, she had walked away from him and never returned.

After that, Dominic had closed his heart even more tightly.

She had told him that he lacked the heart to turn emotion into music and she had been right. He didn’t need such things as a heart. Not for the flute, the lute, or the keys of a piano.

And yet now, when Shiao Yi asked him so innocently about music, Dominic felt an unfamiliar embarrassment twist in his chest.

"What about singing? You have such a deep, nice voice, Dominic."

Shiao Yi’s voice carried a hopeful tone that only made Dominic’s face grow hotter.

"I’m tone-deaf," he confessed at last.

Yes—that must have been what his old teacher had meant when she said he couldn’t understand music.

And the one who had made sure Dominic truly understood just how tone-deaf he was...

...was that damn fool, Louis.

It had happened when Dominic was seventeen years old, right after he had joined the knight order.

Louis who is his senior by five years was already twenty at the time.

Dominic had heard that Louis had entered the knight order when he was fifteen.

There were five new recruits that year including Dominic.

Their seniors had organized a welcome party for them at a tavern in town. For Dominic, it was nothing short of a nightmare.

Even back then, Louis had been a big cheerful man.

He was loud, reckless, and always full of energy.

During the party, he drank like a fish, downing tankard after tankard of ale as if it were water.

Then, after getting completely drunk, he slammed his cup down and roared in his booming voice: "New recruits! It’s time for the traditional greeting! Each of you will show off a skill, one by one! But nothing dangerous, okay? A song would be great! Hurry up sang something lively!"

It was an absurd thing to demand, but the other knights burst into laughter and joined in, cheering him on.

"Yeah! Do it! Let’s see what you’ve got!"

Louis wobbled to his feet, barely steady, but he managed to draw everyone’s attention with a wide grin.

"I know it’s tough for the newcomers to sing right off the bat, so I’ll go first!"

The cheers immediately erupted around the room.

"First song—Louis sings!"

And then he began to sing at the top of his lungs. The song he chose was supposed to be a tragic ballad about a poor poet’s doomed love for a noble princess.

Or at least, that’s what it was meant to be.

Dominic wasn’t very familiar with either classical or popular songs, but even he could tell something was off.