Illustration Novel 8

**Two tunes** is the eighth release of the Illustration Novel series and features the Musicart Bolero.
The Novel was published on April 1, 2022, featuring **uni** as the Illustrator for this story.

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## Translation

*Click, clack, click*——.

A single footstep echoes in a steady rhythm. It is a pleasant footstep, unviolated.

This is the Berlin Symphonica, by the corridor of the Conductors’ living quarters in the music hall. The footsteps are coming from me, and I am Boléro, the Musicart who inhabited the score of the ballet “Boléro” by the French composer Maurice Ravel.

Then, as if to drown out the tuned footsteps, a noisy voice came from that side of the corridor. It was the Conductors, who seemed to be in a hurry. Each of them was carrying a large luggage.

“Oh, pardon me, Boléro! We’ve got to hurry!”

“Are you all set? Boléro! Good luck over there!”

I stopped once, exchanged only glances and watched their backs as they ran past on either side of me. Right. Today is the day that several of the Conductors leave for the front in Austria, where the D2s have become more active. Even the departure of a few Conductors is hectic, but because of the weather, the departure time was suddenly moved up, and the music hall was in a state of confusion.

*Clack, click, clack*——.

With that in the background, I started walking again— in a regular rhythm. I had been told that I was to accompany them to Austria. Preparations had already been made. I didn’t need much to go into battle. Worst of all, I only needed this body.

*Click, clack, click*——.

A short walk led me to a room with the door left open. Looking in, I saw one small lad. He was sitting on the floor, which was cluttered with books, daily necessities, travel bags, et cetera, and often uttered cries of “*Awawa*…” or “*Uuhhh*…” while packing things into cardboard boxes and taking things out, and then opening them again when he thought they were sealed, and going back and forth, right and left. He was doing as much as he could.

It is a wolf’s aim that sets them apart from the Conductors of the past, who have been preparing for a fast-paced war. A Conductor of this caliber would not be upset by a slight change of schedule. I was convinced when I saw the pale face of the lad. I see, he is an apprentice Conductor—

Boléro “**Nicolas Cavalier**.”

Nikola “Y-Y-Yes!?”

When I mentioned the name, which had only recently become familiar to my ears, he jumped up as if there were a spring in his spine and turned to face me, his back as straight as a board.

Nikola “I-I-I’ll be ready in no time! Please wait for….! ….. Huh…. it’s you, **Boléro**….”

A lad who once crouched flat like a frog, then looked up to see me, and then he took a big breath and his whole body relaxed. **Nicolas Cavalier**, 17 years old. Slender body. Childish face. Scared eyes like a small animal. French family name, so probably from there. Don’t know anymore details about it.

Nikola “I thought you were a senior Conductor….. Haha.”

**Nikola** looked a little slack-jawed, perhaps relieved that it was me who had approached him. Personality, feeble. Willpower, weak-willed. It sounds nice to say he’s kind, but he lacks a high spirit. It’s hard to imagine what the future holds if a slight change of plans can cause so much panic. However, I understood his feelings a little.

This expedition is a showcase, so to speak. If his performance in Austria is recognized, he could be promoted from apprentice to official Conductor. The reason for the cold sweat that is still pouring out vaguely must be the pressure. I then stop and ponder.

Boléro — *Should I say something to him?*

If I don’t do anything, I won’t be able to prepare properly. He is not the agile type, but the pressure of the battle is slowing him down even more. I was about to open my mouth to speak again.

— *No, it would be better not to say anything.*

Because, by calling out to him, I might be breaking **Nikola**’s pace. Everyone has their own pace. Everyone has their own rhythm of life. Above all, I myself disliked having my rhythm disturbed by others.

I want my heartbeat, my breathing and even my footsteps to be constant. If this rhythm is disturbed, optimum performance is never possible. That’s why I always listened to my inner self. In order to win. Always quietly, always alone, I have always stood on the stage between life and death. A dancer can only fly high when they’re buoyed by the heat of solitude.

As I was thinking about this, the hustle and bustle around me suddenly became bothersome, and I took out my music player, which I had tucked away in my pocket. It’s my favorite old music player. Before I could insert the earphones into my ears, **Nikola** called out to me.

Nikola “S-Sorry, **Boléro**! Which do you think I should take with me, the rations or the preserved crackers!?”

Boléro “The rations or the preserved crackers?”

Nikola “Yes! The bag and the cardboard are already full and only one of them can fit…..!”

Is that really something to ask until you’re half-crying? Thinking so, I reply in a nonchalant manner.

Boléro “I don’t think you need to bring either as they are both provided locally.”

Nikola “Is that so?! I don’t really understand it…. If I ask **Avril**, she’ll just think that I’m an idiot…..”

**Avril** is an apprentice Conductor like **Nikola**. Her personality is the opposite of **Nikola**’s, in which she is strong-willed and self-confident. The two were like siblings, where **Nikola** was put on **Avril**’s backside and pushed around at every opportunity. I asked.

Boléro “So why me?”

Nikola “Eh?”

There are probably other more qualified people to ask. This is the Conductors’ living quarters, where there are many senior experienced Conductors. **Nikola** replied,

Nikola “Because, **Boléro**, you are kind.”

Unintentionally, I was in a daze. Am I…. kind? I’ve always kept my own pace, never interfered with others, and my comrades have called me cold, but they’ve never called me kind? Seeing me fall silent, **Nikola** says in a rush,

Nikola “S-Sorry! I said something weird! Ah, um, and you told me that in Austria we were told to team up and fight, so that’s what I’ve been doing….!”

Wave your hands in the air, as if to excuse yourself. Indeed, he was right, I was told to work with Nikola for a while on the expedition. I’m not sure I’m the right person to be the caretaker of an apprentice Conductor, though……

Boléro — *It’s no use*.

I was told something unexpected, that I was being kind, and I was just thrown off the pace. To this Conductor who is only half a man. He is immature. Because he was immature, he projected the kindness he wanted onto me, his partner. That’s all there is to it. I am me. His subjectivity is irrelevant. It has never been and will never change .

Boléro “Do you need any help?”

I said that, not to meet his expectations of a kind person. This may be because I have picked up my pace and just have more time to spare. Or a clerical request. If the preparations are delayed and he doesn’t make it to the expedition in time, the whole operation will be affected. That would be more inconvenient for me. But **Nikola** seemed to take it differently.

Nikola “**Boléro**….! As expected, you’re really kind!”

He was also slowly becoming teary-eyed. He sniffed, a sign of his disheveled self, and made an emotional face. Seeing this, I felt my emotions buzzing again.

Musicart and Conductor. Many Musicarts claim that a closer relationship with a Conductor will also improve combat performance. But I don’t believe it, because a deeper relationship means that your pace is disturbed. It is an invasion of the realm of the mind. Communicating with others is like constantly throwing stones into the beautifully calm surface of the lake. It’s not that miserable. It’s just a disadvantage for me.

Boléro — *Besides.*

Boléro — *I don’t want to go through the pain of losing my partner on the battlefield.*

Boléro “On second thought, I refused.”

Nikola “What!? Why!?”

When I withdraw my offer, **Nikola** rounded his eyes and raised his thin eyebrows sadly. I continued,

Boléro “You want to make a difference on this expedition, don’t you? I don’t think it’s good enough if you can’t even pack properly.”

Nikola “Ah….. T-That’s right….”

**Nikola** looks down, shoulders slumped with disappointment. Then he started packing again, dazedly, with a sigh. I’m just looking at him.

I have always wished that those I fight with would be as lonely as I am. Because there are tones that can only be played by those who can endure solitude, and I love such tones. It is just like the two melodies that make up the music piece “**Boléro**”.

The music piece **Boléro** is set to a constant rhythm and consists of two melodies that repeat themselves from beginning to end. The two melodies are not inimical to each other. They do not lean on each other. They alternate, do not overlap, and continue to assert themselves strongly. But at the end, they are inseparably bound together, creating a frenzy that engulfs everyone around them.

If one day I meet someone who bears similar loneliness to me, at that time, we will play together. A symphony of noble, heated loneliness. Now is not the time yet.

*Clack, click, clack*——.

With my back to Nikola’s room, I started walking down the corridor again. Hating the clamor, I plugged the earphones of my music player into my ears. At a low volume, I could hear the melody of the “**Boléro**”. Quietly, but passionately, the heart-thumping melody made my heart tremble.

*Click, clack, click*——.

A single footstep echoes in a steady rhythm. It is my own footstep. It is supposed to be a pleasant footstep, inviolable by nothing. Suddenly curious, I took off one of my earphones and listened to the footsteps. It’s an unfinished sound, I thought.

*Clack, click, clack*——.

My footsteps, but only one. For some reason, it sounded as if I was in search of the other footstep who will recover mine.

**Unofficial Translation by Rara**

Source: Illust. Novel 8 Translation

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Bolero
* Nicolas Cavalier

## External Links

1. ↑  https://twitter.com/ishihara\_sola?s=20&t=dwxhDf6OLtjo7EAZfBFfZw
2. ↑  https://twitter.com/ayatakaha
3. ↑  https://twitter.com/mer\_unipi?s=20&t=mtcGX1BU4tyDp1\_YrfnNPg