"No, please! Ste''s so talented and elegant-if she can never y the violin again, what a tragedy that would be!"


    "Please, let''s hope she doesn''t draw one of Harry''s pieces. Fingers crossed!"


    The inte was aze with spection as the host reached into the lottery box. He unfolded the slip of paper.


    The moment he saw the chosen piece, the color drained from his face.


    It was *The Gaze*.


    *The Gaze* was even harder than *Echoes of the Wind*-and it was notorious for being the most vicious of the so-called "Devil''s Trilogy."


    Of all the possibilities, they hadn''t drawn one of Ste''s ownpositions, but instead ended up with the most impossible challenge.


    This was bad. For Ste, this was real danger.


    If he could, the host would have torn up the slip and drawn again. But with so many eyes on him, there was nothing he could do but unfold the paper with a look of defeat.


    "Miss Ste and Mr. Harry will be performing... *The Gaze*."


    The auditorium erupted into chaos, the noise rivaling a bustling marketce.


    Some people cursed Harry; others rallied to Ste''s defense. But nearly everyone felt a pang of pity for the prodigy-a woman with both beauty and genius, now facing such unfair odds.


    "Damn it. Harry really is the Violin Warrior. Another rising star, about to be snuffed out."


    Harry nced at the host, then turned to Ste with a confident smile.


    "Ste, what a shame. Didn''t get either of your originals. I wonder have you ever even yed *The Gaze* before?"


    He paused for effect, lips curling into a smirk. "For fairness'' sake, I''ll go first. That way you can get familiar with the score. Of course... if you''d rather spare yourself a second humiliation, you can forfeit now. No one would me you for losing to me. Don''t worry-I won''t make you beg on your knees like a dog. You just have to keep your promise."


    Ste barely nced at him. Ignoring his taunts, she addressed the host. "If Mr. Harry wants to y first, that''s fine. I''ll go backstage to prepare."


    Inside the dressing room, Ste unlocked her storage case and took out the Nocturne Ste.


    She always brought two violins to


    yed her own "Nameless." She


    ely used the Nocturne Ste.


    Her fingers traced the strings-Nora''s strings—and a gentle melody drifted through the quiet room.


    A soft knock at the door. Antoney entered and paused, surprised to see her holding the Nocturne Ste.


    He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but in the end said nothing at all.


    He knew Harry had gotten under Ste''s skin.


    And when Ste was angry, she was a force of nature.


    At her best, she could y at one hundred percent-but when provoked, she was unstoppable.


    In all the years he''d known her, he''d only seen her truly angry once before.


    Harry had insulted not only him, but also Ste''s mother, Nora.


    Harry destroyed the dreams of so many brilliant young violinists-he was exactly the kind of person Ste despised most.


    Antoney stepped forward. "Are you really nning to use the Nocturne Ste for your performance?"


    Ste nodded. "Yes. I want to use the Nocturne Ste to defeat Harry. It will mean more to both you and my mother."


    Her voice was gentle, her tone calm, as if she were talking about the weather.