The time came for Justin to prove how much he improved after coming back from his journey.
At this moment, the sun was setting outside. The light in the room was soft and purple, and the sky was slowly getting dark.
He stood in a quiet room and picked up his violin.
He held it gently, like something special.
It felt the same, but also a little different. He didn't start playing right away. He waited, letting the silence stay a little longer. Then, he moved the bow across the strings, and the first sound filled the room.
Lucius Wood stood nearby, watching silently from the corner. He didn't say anything, just listened.
He had returned and, just as Justin had expected, he asked him to play any musical piece he wanted to.
The sound that came from Justin's violin wasn't flashy or loud.
Just like how he had always been.
It was warm.
But there was a subtle change this time. It was not only tugging at the strings in your heart. It had a different feeling.
It felt like an old story being told in a small home. His music didn't try to impress anyone. It just felt real, like something simple but true.
Lucius' brows slightly rose.
'It felt closer to the heart, what he wished to convey to his listeners,' he thought.
During his time in the countryside, Justin had heard all kinds of music. Some from old men playing old violins.
Some from mothers singing while cooking. Others were just people humming as they walked along quiet roads. The music wasn't perfect, but it was full of heart.
Now, you could hear those memories in the way Justin played.
His hand moved slower. His bow touched the strings gently, like brushing someone's hair.
Sometimes, he played so softly that it sounded like a whisper. He didn't use vibrato all the time like before. Some notes were left plain and still. That made them even more beautiful.
A smile soon appeared on Lucius's lips, 'That young lady has good ears and eyes. This young man will surely become a monster. If he keeps improving like this, he will reach a point where he can convey more stories than what he just feels.'
Justin didn't always follow a steady beat. His music moved like someone walking through fields, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. It felt natural, like breathing.
'He will be able to play the music the way he wants, whether it is for what he feels on that day or exactly what the composer wished to convey through the music. He will be able to move the people the way he wants them to feel.'
If Justin played a part again, he would change it a little.
A soft slide into a note, like a folk singer he met in a mountain town. A gentle sway, like the dancers he saw in a village square. These little changes just came out of him, without planning.
Even the quiet parts were important now. He had learned that sometimes not playing said just as much as playing.
A pause.
A deep breath.
A moment of stillness.
He wasn't afraid of silence anymore.
Lucius didn't speak. He simply watched and listened, his arms crossed, his eyes thoughtful.
'With improvement in techniques, he will surely become a monster in the world of violinists.'
Justin's violin didn't just sing, it spoke. It told stories of hills, rivers, people, and wind. Anyone who listened could feel it.
'If Wynter Morgrave can be the modern Paganini, then Justin would be… Fritz Kreisler.'
Fritz Kreisler was an Austrian-born violinist and composer, widely considered one of the greatest violinists of all time. He is famous for his expressive, lyrical playing and his technical virtuosity.
Kreisler was known for his beautiful tone, his ability to shape phrases with an emotional depth that moved audiences, and his unique interpretations of the violin repertoire.
'And if others were listening to this, then they would surely say these words,' he added.
"It feels like remembering something important."
"It makes me feel calm, like I'm home."
"I can't explain it, but it touched me."
Justin took a deep breath after he was done playing before he slowly turned to Lucius, whose smile moments ago disappeared.
Suddenly, Justin felt nervous.
He was confident moments ago, but now he felt like he did not improve as much as he thought.
"Was it lacking?" he couldn't help but ask.
"Why are you losing your confidence again?" Lucius squinted his eyes.
Justin pursed his lips.
"Remember one important thing, Justin. You can seek others' approval, but you must not rely on their approval alone. Some may show that they don't approve of you, but that is only because they are jealous of you. And they did not wish for you to improve."
Lucius slowly walked closer to him.
"You had your confidence, but you'd suddenly lose it when faced with better ones. You must not. Even if we are better, even if you lost against us, don't lose your confidence. Because just as you wished six months ago, you have improved a lot."
Justin's eyes went wide in happiness, and his lips turned into a wide smile.
Lucius smiled as well before placing his hand on Justin's shoulder.
"You understood the path you wish to take. And you took courage in taking a step towards it. You did great, and you are better than you were before this departure. I look forward to more of your improvements."
"Yes, teacher!"