Chapter 1069:

“A judge?” Angie cut in, her voice rising. “Or is she going there as a lecturer? Mr. Holden, she’s X. Aria’s only disciple! Dennis is definitely trying to recruit her—you can’t just ignore this!”

Dominic began pacing restlessly around the lab before halting abruptly, his eyes lighting up. “I’ll go to their campus myself tomorrow. No one’s poaching my best student.”

Later that evening at Dennis’s home, Rylie had just settled onto the sofa beside him when his phone began ringing insistently. He answered, then tapped a button to cast the video call to the large television screen.

“The music faculty saw the analysis of the ancient score I shared in our group,” he explained calmly to Rylie. “They’re over the moon and insisting on meeting you. They’ve got a whole list of questions they’re dying to ask.”

Rylie nodded without hesitation. “That’s fine. I always enjoy a good academic discussion.”

Only then did Dennis accept the call on the TV, expanding it to fill the screen.

Seven eager faces immediately filled the frame—men and women all well past forty, each a professor or senior scholar from the music academy, known for their exacting and often uncompromising academic standards.

“Dennis! Where’s the analyst? Bring them on screen!” urged an elderly man with gray hair and thick glasses. This was Professor Ferris Lewis, a highly respected authority in music history.

𝘛𝗵𝗲 𝘣𝖾ѕ𝘁 r𝘦а𝘥𝗂ng е𝗑𝘱еr𝗂en𝖼𝖾 𝗼𝘯 𝗀𝖺𝗅nо𝘷el𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝘮

“Good heavens! The structural breakdown and the way the ritual-music logic was reconstructed—it’s like a master key designed specifically for that score!” exclaimed Melody Myers, a middle-aged professor specializing in ancient notation, her voice trembling with excitement.

Dennis stroked his beard with a proud smile, then shifted to frame Rylie in the camera. “Everyone, allow me to introduce the brilliant mind behind the analysis: Rylie Owen. She’s like a granddaughter to me, and the very person who unlocked that ancient score. You may recognize her from the Wesdown International Piano Competition in Eshea.”

“Is she X. Aria’s disciple? Wait—isn’t she Marcus Owen’s sister? The piano prodigy from Eshea?” The group drew a sharp, collective breath, followed by a wave of even greater astonishment. “That explains it! No wonder her insight is so profound and her perspective so unique!”

Ferris pushed his glasses up his nose and leaned closer to the screen. “But I thought she came from Eshea’s most prominent family. How exactly is she like your granddaughter?”

Dennis remained completely unruffled. “My old friend’s granddaughter is like family to me. At that point, titles are just formality.”

Rylie offered a slight, polite nod toward the camera, her expression calm. “Hello, professors. I’m Rylie Owen. Regarding the score, I simply drew a few conclusions from the available material. I’m glad if they can contribute to your research.”

“Conclusions? Miss Owen, you’re being far too modest!” Melody responded instantly. “The ritual-chant background and ceremonial framework you identified—we cross-referenced the literature and found no fewer than five indirect sources that support it! Your hypothesis about microtones combined with circular breathing inducing a trance state has opened a completely new line of inquiry for us. This goes far beyond simple deduction.”

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