I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Use skill.

Silently reciting "Lullaby (Perfect Level)", the system panel instantly disappeared, replaced by an eerie feeling as if it were possessed by something.

His hands naturally rested on the piano keys, his back was straight, his posture was elegant and natural, his right foot gently pressed the sustain pedal, and his breathing subconsciously became lighter.

—Speaking of lullabies, the one that Yuu Tenkuji remembers most is the Goldberg Variations that she heard by chance in her previous life.

Published in 1742, it was composed by Bach at the request of Bach's student Goldberg and performed for Countess Catherine, who was suffering from insomnia at the time.

Aside from the first section which begins with the theme of the sarabande, and the last section which returns to the theme with a plain ending, the entire piece has 30 variations, grouped in groups of three, expressed in the form of canons: a canon in unison, a canon in second, a canon in third, and so on. After reaching the ninth canon, the tenth variation is a four-part fugue, with various forms such as inventions, toccatas, and arias appearing throughout.

This is the largest, most magnificent, and greatest variation in music history. Its difficulty goes without saying; even professional pianists may not be able to play it.

Most importantly, this piece can last up to eighty minutes... You absolutely can't play it without a certain level of stamina.

If we're talking about lullabies, only the Goldberg Variations can truly test the system's capabilities—so even though she was a little apprehensive, Yuu Tenkuji still used her perfect-level skill on this piece.

"Well then, let's begin."

Tenkuji slowly exhaled, his mind instantly calming down, as if the entire noisy station had vanished from his consciousness.

The whole world consisted of only himself and the piano in front of him.

As the finger gently fell, the first sound entered the eardrum, like ripples spreading across the surface of water.

Then, the ripples naturally spread out.

My fingers were only rusty for less than a second before they flew up and down lightly; it was as if Bach at his peak had traveled from the past into my body. The complex score appeared clearly in my mind, and my fingertips understood it without any hindrance. I played every note and every variation perfectly, and my body swayed gently with the melody.

The emotions he needed to express during the performance were also wrapped in the piano music; every movement was like a songstress singing with deep affection, melodious and beautiful.

This feeling of perfect control over something allows him to gradually change the score while playing, shortening the original hour-long piece while ensuring that the charm of the piece is fully displayed.

With her eyes closed, Yu Tenkuji continued playing while carefully observing the changes in herself.

The perfect skill granted by the system does not mean that he will be controlled by Bach, but rather that he will be given the perfect technique to play the piece, and the necessary music theory and performance skills will be instilled into his mind and body, making him a piano master.

Without the limitations on lullabies and repetitions, he could even become famous and make money with this skill, squeezing into high society as a pianist.

Right now, I guess I can only test what the system can do and maybe let the audience admire me.

"However, even if it's only once, I won't waste this opportunity."

No longer relying on intuition and familiar touch to play, Yuu Tenkuji began to understand the structure of the score while using the master-level music theory knowledge provided by the system to think about how to help beginners learn to play the piano as quickly as possible.

If all goes well, he can directly exploit the system, extracting the maximum value from the rewards that are meant to be used and discarded!

△

"I know, I'll definitely write a good second volume for you! ... Others can't see the interesting points? That proves my work isn't superficial... I understand what you're saying, but Editor Machida, why would I add an opposing character to a romance novel of my type? Don't you think it's cliché?"

As she strode into the station, Kasumigaoka Utaha shouted something defiantly at her editor on the phone, her mature and pretty face cold as she stared sharply at everything in front of her.

Thanks to this, almost no one dared to stand in her way, as if they were afraid that if they lingered for even a second longer, they would be pierced by a black arrow.

"Ms. Kasumi Shiko, I understand your persistence and I believe in your abilities..." On the other end of the phone, Editor Machida paused for half a second and sighed softly.

"But I still hope you understand that if the first volume isn't reprinted, and the second volume doesn't improve either, your 'Love Metronome' will be canceled, at most reaching a third volume."

In the gentlest of tones, she uttered the cruelest conclusion for Kasumigaoka Utaha.

"..."

Biting her lips until they turned white, Kasumigaoka Utaha remained silent for a long while before lowering her head and whispering:

"...I understand. That's all, I'll continue my research. Thank you for your suggestion."

An emotionless voice fell into the empty space.

The call ended, and she slowly put down her phone, her fingers gripping so tightly that faint blue veins appeared on the back of her fair hand, which was trembling slightly.

With her long black hair hanging down, in the shadows hidden by her hair, Kasumigaoka Utaha gritted her teeth, her barely suppressed anxiety showing in her eyes.

"Adding new characters... Indeed, even I find the outline for the second volume bland. To increase the conflict, adding new characters is the fastest way..."

"No, maybe it's not a problem with the plot, but just insufficient promotion. After all, the reader feedback is very positive, so if more people can see it..."

Unconsciously biting her thumbnail, Kasumigaoka Utaha walked towards the ticket gate, sorting out the chaotic thoughts in her mind and trying to calm her restless mood.

Just then, a clear, melodious, yet playful and cheerful zither melody came from the side.

She subconsciously turned her head and saw a masked boy dancing with his long, slender fingers in front of a painted piano. His dazzling fingerwork landed on the keys, and the beautiful music flowed like a tide, quieting the usually noisy Shibuya Station.

Kasumigaoka Utaha stared blankly at that direction until the crowd blocked her view, at which point she snapped back to reality.

"This is……"

Chapter Eleven: Kasumigaoka Utaha begins to follow... oops, track... oops, observe.

A piano piece I've never heard before.

Although I have no knowledge of music and have little musical appreciation ability.

But it is precisely because of this that Kasumigaoka Utaha is able to stand from the audience's perspective and express her most direct feelings—

This piece is very beautiful, and the performer played it very well.

Ten fingers glided out a series of lively notes, making the piano keys dance in a dazzling display; the notes sank from the air into the depths of consciousness, soothing the heat of the traveler's journey and the fatigue of his busy commute.

If I had to describe the impression, it would be like lying on a large bed in a European castle, with a court musician playing for me while I suffer from insomnia; the melodious music begins, and surrounded by the tune, I gradually relax and slowly drift off to sleep.

"A professional, huh..." Kasumigaoka Utaha couldn't help but sigh.

The melody changes in each section, yet they all connect seamlessly, as if the piece was originally perfect—although the performer is wearing a mask, you can still see that she is young, which doesn't match the complexity and variety of the piece.

After walking to the edge of the crowd and observing for a while out of habit, Kasumigaoka Utaha finally concluded that the other person was a professional pianist and began to close her eyes and listen carefully.

“?～?～?～?～?～”

The melodious sound of the zither was gentle and soothing.

The more you listen, the more beautiful it sounds. The restlessness and unease that lingered in her eyes gradually eased and became lighter, transforming into a state of comfort and peace.

Even at this moment, Kasumigaoka Utaha put the writing obstacles out of her mind, no longer thinking about how to change or how to connect with readers' XP, but emptying her mind and quietly lying down on the bed made of melodies.

Straighten your body, tear off your clothes, discard all unnecessary frills, and in the most comfortable and relaxed posture, for once in a lifetime, allow yourself to completely relax.

"..."

A smile appeared on her lips. Kasumigaoka Utaha crossed her arms and nodded her head slightly from time to time, letting her smooth black hair fall down her cheeks.

If she hadn't known that she was outside, in the underground passage of JR Shibuya Station, she probably... no, she definitely would have been 'hypnotized' by this song and fallen asleep immediately!

She's been worried about the novel for days now, and hasn't been able to sleep well. Not only is her temper getting worse, but her skin is also deteriorating due to hormonal imbalance.

I really wish this piece could be longer; I wouldn't mind playing it all night...

Thinking this, before I knew it, a final note quietly fell, followed by complete silence.

Before the applause could even begin, Kasumigaoka Utaha reflexively opened her eyes and looked at the boy in front of the piano.

He looked around and found himself surrounded by a large audience. He raised an eyebrow in surprise, then grabbed his bag, bent over, and quietly slipped into a gap in the crowd.

...Wait, they ran away?

Kasumigaoka Utaha blinked in surprise, then instinctively glanced around.

Indeed, even in bustling train stations where people are reluctant to stop, there will be people willing to pause for a wonderful performance, and quite a few at that.

His music is like a giant hand, drawing tourists in and keeping them there to savor the experience.

This was a 'perfect' performance. Even though there was no one in front of the piano, the music still lingered in the minds of the listeners, leaving them mesmerized and unable to shake it off for a long time.

Therefore, he was able to quietly escape into the crowd before anyone else could react.

However, Kasumigaoka Utaha is different.

Although she had enjoyed the music, she was now more concerned about the boy who had left after playing the piano.

A faint inspiration welled up from the bottom of her heart, whispering to her to reach out to him and learn his story.

Of course, this wasn't some clichéd love-at-first-sight scenario; Kasumigaoka Utaha was simply looking for inspiration.

Because the key to turning "Love Metronome" around lies in the other person—that's what the writer's intuition tells him:

A young boy with masterful piano skills, playing unheard-of pieces, and acting with a flamboyant yet humble demeanor... there's definitely an extraordinary story behind him!

The moment the idea popped into her mind, Kasumigaoka Utaha instantly conjured up several plot points and additional settings. Her pupils involuntarily contracted, and she bit her pink lips with her pearly teeth, wishing she could take out her computer right then and there and write down all her ideas.

The creative desire that had been suppressed by setbacks in writing was now boiling over, rising high, and becoming completely excited, along with his rapid breathing.

Standing here now is no longer Kasumigaoka Utaha, an ordinary high school beauty, but a rising writer—Kasumigaoka Utako-sensei!

"Hmph, hehehehe..."

A smile played on her lips, and she couldn't help but chuckle softly.

A lustful glint shone in the girl's eyes, and with her flushed face, she resembled a woman in heat.

But this means she has entered a writing state, with inspiration flowing freely. As long as she is given pen, paper, or a computer, she can create the best content in the shortest amount of time.

"However... it's not ready yet."

Kasumigaoka Utaha took a deep breath, suppressing her burning and trembling hands, and barely managed to calm herself down.

She also silently withdrew from the crowd, striding towards the ticket gate with her long, black-stockinged legs, her steps becoming faster and faster.

Only then did belated applause erupt from behind her, and some people even asked where the person who had been playing the piano had gone... But none of that mattered to her; she only cared about one thing right now:

“The ‘nutrients’ aren’t enough…we need more, much more…”

She murmured to herself, her bright red eyes seeming to light up as they locked onto the back of a man who was casually walking past the ticket gate not far away.

—The source of inspiration for his creative work lies within him.

If you can learn as much as possible about the other person's story and then blend reality with your own imagination, you might actually be able to design a character and plot that will amaze readers and editors alike!

Although she had never done such a thing before, for Kasumigaoka Utaha, if it could make the work better, then appropriately giving up some of her pride and integrity was not a big deal.

She is a writer, a writer who dedicates her soul to her works.

"The key to the second volume of Metronome is something you can't escape."

With that, Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled happily, tossed her long, ink-black hair aside with her delicate hand, and followed not far behind the boy.

Although she was very confident in her appearance, Kasumigaoka Utaha believed that the other person was a master artist who liked to keep a low profile and did not want to be disturbed by enthusiastic fans.