The Villainous Male Supporting Character Courts Death Every Day : Chapter 6:The Piano

The study was hushed and still, save for the occasional crackle of flames from the fireplace. Kyle sat upright on the dark leather armchair, his back ramrod straight, legs crossed, his expression cold and severe. His long fingers tapped the armrest slowly, the rhythm steady and measured, as if composing an invisible melody in his mind.

He had boiled this task down to two key points: first, make Zabert willingly give up the piano. Second, ensure Miss Charlotte accepted it without any lingering resentment.

This meant the difficulty did not lie in obtaining the piano itself, but in crafting a respectable reason for it to pass from Zabert’s hands through the ducal manor, and finally into Miss Charlotte’s possession.

His dark eyes lowered, scanning the documents, his demeanor calm to the point of ruthlessness. He was in no rush to decide; he simply pondered in silence. Suddenly, a flash of light crossed his pitch-black eyes, sharp and fleeting as a hunter locking onto prey.

A pleasant surprise had emerged in the investigation report on Zabert’s family sitting on the desk.

Zabert, this celebrated musician, had quite the appetite for women. He had countless mistresses and illegitimate children. Now old and feeble, not only was his financial situation hanging by a thread, but his family was tearing itself apart in infighting. While Zabert was still alive, his offspring were already at each other’s throats over the inheritance, making life unbearable for everyone.

Kyle stared at the pages, his fingertips lightly tapping the edge of the paper, his black eyes gleaming in the candlelight. After a long moment, the corner of his mouth slowly curved upward. He had an idea. He picked up his pen, and the nib swept across the paper with clean, decisive strokes, brimming with unwavering confidence, as if the prey was already caught in the bag.

“Would this count as striking while the iron is hot?” Kyle sighed to himself, his dark eyes curving slightly in the firelight like foxfires flickering in the night, carrying a smile yet concealing a cold edge. “So long as it pleases the Young Master, any means will do.”

As for Miss Charlotte, Kyle let out a cold snort. He figured she was nothing more than a passing fancy for Milo, her only value being to make the Young Master more dependent on him, to rely on him more heavily. If he could use the Zabert affair to extend his reach into artistic circles and recommend Miss Charlotte for further studies abroad, that would not be a bad move either.

Kyle sealed the letter and pressed the wax stamp. The corner of his mouth held a smile that was not quite a smile, the mirth within it hiding an uncontrollable obsession.

“In the Young Master’s eyes, I alone am enough.”

A few days later, the moment Milo stepped into the hall, his gaze was instantly drawn to the piano. The black mirrored surface of the instrument gleamed with a dim light under the candle glow, while gold carvings coiled around it like climbing vines, as if whispering of historical dignity and nobility.

Milo’s eyes widened, and he held his breath as he drew near. The heavy lid exuded an imposing yet captivating aura. The legs were carved into lion’s paws, the gold inlay at the base flickering with faint light, supporting the entire presence of the piano like a dignified yet graceful nobleman silently looking down upon anyone who approached.

His fingertips brushed lightly over the keys. The black and white surfaces were cool and smooth, as if holding countless stories of melodies. A strange flutter rose in his heart, not for the piano itself, but for the honor of owning something that proclaimed status and standing.

“Is this really the legendary Zabert Piano?” Milo’s eyes sparkled, unable to contain his surprise and excitement.

“Yes, Young Master.” Kyle stood beside him, nodding with a smile.

“Incredible!” Milo marveled, his hand tracing the edge of the gold carvings. He did not understand the weight of this treasure of the music world. He only knew that in the original story, this piano bore the weight of dozens of lives from Zabert’s family. Now that it was within reach, he was overcome with solemn respect.

His golden eyes remained fixed on the piano, shining so brightly they seemed about to drip with light. Unable to tear his gaze away, he asked eagerly, “How did you get it? Was Mr. Zabert willing to part with it?”

“This piano was Mr. Zabert’s beloved possession, and under normal circumstances, he would never have agreed to let it go.” Kyle spoke in a calm tone, his manner composed. “However, this piano had brought him considerable family strife. The ducal manor simply stepped in to mediate, doing him a small favor in passing.”

“Family strife?” Milo asked with wide, curious eyes.

“Mr. Zabert said that rather than have it recklessly sold off one day by descendants with no reverence for music, he would rather give it to the Laurentis family, who have always cherished the arts.” Kyle explained respectfully.

“So in a way, he should be thanking us.” Milo laughed in disbelief, grinning mischievously. “How did you get that old man Zabert to believe his children would sell the piano? You must have said plenty of bad things about them.”

“I did not speak ill of anyone,” Kyle raised his eyes, his dark gaze profound, his fingertips subtly twirling his watch chain, the corner of his mouth slightly hooked. “I merely reminded him to pay attention to family matters, and indicated that the ducal manor was willing to help, so that the piano could receive better care.”

What Kyle did not say was how his people had investigated one of Zabert’s heirs with a gambling addiction. How they had set up a scheme forcing that man to use the piano as collateral, racking up enormous gambling debts and promising to hand over the piano once he inherited the estate. How Kyle had then redeemed the IOU through various channels and paid a personal visit to express the ducal manor’s concern.

From Zabert’s perspective, what he saw was unworthy descendants. Fortunately, young Milo of House Ausente was generous and kind, intervening to protect this treasure of the music world without pocketing it for himself. Instead, he cleverly used Miss Charlotte’s birthday as the occasion to present the piano as a precious gift, transferring it to the Laurentis family who held the arts in the highest esteem.

Not to mention, after this whole maneuver, the Zabert Piano would gain the endorsement of ducal nobility and its fame would surely skyrocket, transforming from a folk-celebrated treasure of the music world into a true imperial treasure. Zabert himself would also reap both fame and fortune.

And Kyle had long since planted rumors, arranging for tabloid journalists and wandering minstrels to spread juicy gossip. He had prepared sensational, eye-catching stories. Zabert was somewhat forced into this, but he went along with it half-willingly, half-reluctantly, his feelings mixed as he cooperated with this grand event.

Kyle’s brows held a smile, his tone flawlessly gentle. “Mr. Zabert expresses his gratitude for your passion for the arts, and says the entire music world will remember your selfless act today.”

“Well done!” Milo’s fingers suddenly swept across the keys, a glissando ringing out like little sparks jumping in his heart.

He did not doubt Kyle’s account. In his view, the protagonist’s plot armor meant everything he did was right and proper. The villain needed a piano to pull off a political purge, while the protagonist just had to move his mouth and things fell into place, even earning admiration. He was riding the protagonist’s coattails, basking in some good reputation, and secretly delighted.

As the notoriously hated vicious male supporting character, Milo had long grown accustomed to false flattery. Yet when everything came from Kyle’s mouth, it felt utterly genuine. The little pride swelling inside him made him giddy. He tapped and pressed the keys haphazardly a few more times, like a curious cat, brimming with interest.

Kyle stood to one side, his posture proper, yet his gaze involuntarily softened, like a patient knight standing guard, a faint smile spreading across his lips. “Young Master, this piano now belongs to you. You may play to your heart’s content.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Milo clicked his tongue. He had zero interest in music or art, both before and after transmigrating into this book. In that regard, he and the good-for-nothing vicious young master were quite alike. After a few random strikes, Milo quickly lost interest. He moved to the sofa and sat down, lounging lazily against the armrest with a grin. “You did well this time. How about I reward you by having you play a piece for me.”

Kyle looked slightly surprised, then smiled and bowed, placing his hand over his heart in a standard butler’s salute. “It would be my honor.”

Kyle sat down properly, his long fingers spreading out, gently caressing the keys as if savoring this very moment, wishing to etch this scene into his memory. “Young Master, what piece would you like to hear?”

“Anything, play something you’re good at.” Milo leisurely picked up his teacup, inhaling the aroma of the tea, as if the tea before him was more interesting than the legendary piano.

“Then allow me to play Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’ for you.”

The moment he finished speaking, the piano notes rose like shadows swaying faintly under the moonlight, both beautiful and eerie. The melody flowed through the room, and even Milo, who had never understood music, was strangely moved. He closed his eyes, immersing himself in the deep, haunting music.

Kyle gazed at the piano, his fingertips dancing between the black and white keys, every note like a whispered dream, silently seeping into the air. He leaned slightly forward, his frame upright yet subtly tense, as if controlling everything in the space.

As the melody swirled, he lifted his head. His pitch-black eyes glimmered in the half-light, fixing directly upon Milo with an unspoken aggression, as if teasing, as if declaring. The notes and his gaze wove together into a dense, inescapable net.

Milo’s eyes remained tightly shut, seemingly unaware, though his lashes fluttered slightly. A strange flutter spread through his chest, like moonlight filtering through tree shadows onto the water’s surface, bright yet carrying an indescribable depth, like a bottomless whirlpool. Unconsciously, he felt an invisible binding, yet remained entranced by its pull.

He instinctively held his breath, wanting to capture more of the emotion flowing through the notes, that charm which was both intoxicating and carried a subtle sense of pressure.

Amid the lingering melody, a white-haired steward in fine attire entered quietly, not interrupting Kyle’s performance. He merely walked to Milo’s side and whispered in his ear. Kyle’s eyelids lowered, his gaze flickering, noting that it was the old head steward from the Duke’s side, yet his fingers continued to flow and leap across the keys.

Milo listened to the old head steward’s whisper, his brow furrowing, but he did not open his eyes. He simply waved his hand to signal, saying nothing more.

The music gradually approached its end. Kyle pressed the final key, and the entire room abruptly froze. He keenly sensed a trace of unease in the air. He rose properly and bowed to Milo, his dark eyes deep and calm.

Milo slowly opened his eyes. His golden gaze fell coldly upon Kyle, carrying a hint of arrogance and displeasure. His lips pressed into an indescribable curve, his tone utterly icy. “Father wishes to see you.”