pianst

...No, I came to see if you were dead.

Oh. Don't you worry about that. I have no intention of dying until I've brought my students up to a satisfactory level.

What were you doing last night?

Ah. Do you hear the music? The students made it.

I wanted to identify the problem areas, then devise a lesson plan that would better suit their needs.

*yawns*... I suppose I've been a bit sleep-deprived as of late.

I have a question.

Hm?

The Czerny I know is a musician brimming with a passion for the arts.

But now, you're suddenly pouring all your energy into teaching.

To be honest, I'm a little afraid.

Of what?

Of the fact that you're acting like someone who's ready to give up on life.

Like someone who no longer cares about his own future, and simply wants to find a successor.

I'm a doctor, and I understand the pain and suffering that come with Oripathy. I'm not asking you to face it with a smile on your face.

However, you've come here to Rhodes Island. You should at least place your faith in us, and confront this challenge together!

Wait, hold on. You think I've given up on life? <i>Me</i>?

Huh?

Let me get this straight. You think I've lost my will to live, and am desperately trying to find a successor before facing my own death?

...Pretty much, yeah.

Is that really how I come across to you?

Sorry.

There is one thing I won't deny though.

When I was performing for the people of the Afterglow, sometimes I got the idea that someday I'd be standing on even grander stages, surrounded by even more people, and stirring their hearts with music.

But when I saw my medical report, it became clear to me that would never happen.

I don't curse my fate. Even if I weren't wracked with Oripathy, I would still inevitably die one day.

But even before that, I'd already experienced the greatest heights a musician could aspire to. I've been luckier than most.

However, obviously that was not enough for me.

I wanted to go further. I wanted to hear more. I wanted to keep composing.

Which is why I offered these lessons.

In other words, you didn't start this because you lost your will to live, but rather, you see it as a continuation?

That's not entirely true either.

It's rather difficult for me to explain it to you cogently.

Czerny is deep in thought for a while. He walks over to the window, and points to a mountain in the distance.

Let's put it this way.

Just as with many other endeavors in this land, music is a distant pinnacle that can never truly be reached.

My calling is simply to keep climbing that mountain until the end of my life.

But obviously, I cannot.

Even without Oripathy, there would inevitably come a day where I would be forced to descend.

But I do not see that as a tragedy. It's simply accepting fate.

These children who've received my instruction will traverse the paths I've walked. They will reach the places I've reached, and then they will aspire to even greater heights.

I hope to do this, just as many of my teachers did, and my teacher's teachers before them.

Through the process of teaching, they... No, I, do not think that my life is over. Rather, my life is continuing through music.

Because, while we are descending the mountain with a cane, these children will be happily embarking on their own journey to conquer music–

Just as we had done.

Just like the sun itself. At any given moment, it is both rising, and setting.

Oh, right. Before I forget, I've actually been working on something the last two days. I'd appreciate it if you could look it over.

What?

As Czerny says this, he pulls out a stack of papers from a messy pile of documents and hands them to Hibiscus.

Hibiscus's eyes are immediately drawn to the header – 'Request for Research Funding - Application Form.'

What's this...?

For a Leithanian, and myself especially, the synthesis of music and Arts is second nature.

But this might not be such an easy thing to understand for people from other countries.

I've analyzed this extensively, and feel that it has great potential. So, I've requested research funding for that very purpose.

So, how's that? That should address some of your concerns, no?

...I don't buy it.

Huh?

You might act like you're brimming with energy, but you haven't been taking care of your health. Just like back then.

If you really care so much about taking on good students, then you should take better care of your own body, for their sake.

...I must say, that's the most convincing bit of medical advice I've ever heard.

In any case, hand me those documents.

Now then, you should head to class.

Nein, nein, Hibiscus, that won't do. Can you go tell my students that today's class will be pushed back an hour?

What are you going to do?

I can't let my students see me like this.

I'll need some time to wash up and take care of my hands.

*sigh*... Sure, whatever you say.