I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. Gasping for air inside the small hut, I focused my gaze on the tenor saxophone in front of me. The flickering light of the lamp gently illuminated the metal surface of the saxophone, and its cold touch on my fingertips strangely soothed me.

I attached the reed and brought the saxophone to my lips. As the low notes resonated clearly, a small smile crossed my face. "With this..." In that moment, I felt a surge of confidence—despite being in a woman’s body, I could wield the same power as a man’s voice magic through this instrument.

Suddenly, a memory from my childhood flashed vividly before my eyes. It was the day Forte’s father, Akira, gave me my first saxophone lesson. I had been captivated by the alto sax he brought from Japan in another world, and I had been taking lessons from him once a week. His praise, "You’ve got talent," still echoed in my heart.

Suddenly, the wooden door crashed open with a violent sound. Startled, I looked up to see the light from the lamp shaking, and in its glow, a hulking demon glared at me.

"That’s an interesting toy you’ve got there. A magic instrument, huh? It’s one of those newfangled things that’s been researched and developed over the past decade. But do you really think you can play it?"

Ignoring his taunts, I took a deep breath. Pressing the saxophone to my lips, I blew into it, playing with all my strength in the same scale as the advanced male voice magic.

The sound from the saxophone sliced through the air, and in an instant, a tornado swirled around us. It lifted the demon’s massive body and the hut itself, sending them flying. The trees around us swayed violently. The force of the tornado pushed the demon back about 20 meters, but I knew I couldn’t stop there.

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"Urgh... What the hell! What the hell!"

I heard the demon’s voice, but I quickly played another spell with the saxophone. This time, I used wind magic on my legs to increase my running speed. The notes I played conjured blades of wind at my feet, making them feel incredibly light. With this, I could buy a little more time.

"You insolent girl! No more mercy! I’ll crush you!"

The demon’s furious voice echoed from behind. I could feel him pounding the ground, chasing me at full speed. This was bad. My breathing was becoming ragged, but I kept running, driven by desperation. The moment I burst out of the hut, the soft moonlight illuminated my path, and I used it to guide me deeper into the forest. For now, I had managed to put some distance between us, but it was only a matter of time before he caught up.

I ran through the forest, desperately pushing forward on an unmarked path, when suddenly a grand building appeared in front of me. The light from the moon and the building’s windows faintly illuminated the ground. It was a wealthy estate. It was vacation season, so there might be someone inside. Frantically, I circled around the building.

Then, I noticed a tall boy standing in front of the mansion. He had neatly parted hair, perfect teeth, and an air of cockiness about him. No time for character analysis, though. I wanted to ask for help, but the thought of dragging him into this situation made me hesitate.

As I stood there conflicted, he spoke first.

"My name is Tenuto. What’s yours? Care to join me? This mansion has a dance hall."

I wanted to respond, but no words would come out. Frustration welled up inside me, and tears began to fall. Have I always been this quick to cry?

"I didn’t mean to make you cry, my lady. Did I do something to upset you?"

I tried to gesture toward the presence of the giant demon, but I couldn’t convey the message properly. In that instant, the demon caught up, shouting loudly.

"Hey! If you don’t want to get hurt, hand over the girl!"

Tenuto quickly assessed the situation and muttered something calmly. A hologram of a piano appeared at his fingertips.

"And what if I refuse? I’m on the lady’s side."