"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Mr. Kessler shot Karen a disdainful look. "When I said I couldn't judge, I meant... I am in no way qualified to judge Miss Serena's skill!"
He said, turning back to Serena, his eyes suddenly becoming fervent and joyful. "Miss Serena's skill is far superior to my own! How can I judge? What qualifications do I have to judge?"
"In that performance just now, Miss Serena's understanding and handling of the piece reached the pinnacle of perfection! I... even if I studied for another half a lifetime, I doubt I could reach such a level!"
"And you want me to compare Miss Serena's skill with Miss Lancaster's?"
Mr. Kessler's voice grew loud with excitement, his tone filled with absurd mockery as he said this. "There's simply no comparison! To make such a judgment would be an insult to Miss Serena!"
Those fervent, impassioned words elevated Serena's performance to the status of a divine miracle.
"Well said! Well said!" Old Mr. Blackwood clapped vigorously, his face flushed with excitement.
The other guests immediately followed suit with applause.
The thunderous applause was like a series of slaps, each one striking Isabella and Karen's faces.
The two of them looked as if they'd been struck by lightning, their pale faces turning ashen.
Mr. Kessler excitedly walked up to Serena, his attitude incredibly deferential. "Mas- ahem, Miss Serena, just now in the third measure, your handling of the modulation, was it because of this, and then in the eighth beat, the way you handled that..."
Countless professional terms poured from Mr. Kessler's mouth.
His face was a picture of humility as he asked, "I've been studying this for so long without grasping the key. I humbly ask for Miss Serena's guidance!"
That... That was Mr. Kessler, the living legend of the piano world!
The vice president of the International Music Association, Mr. Kessler!
But now, he was respectfully asking for guidance from a young girl, his attitude bordering on fanaticism!
It was an unprecedented, unheard-of scene!
"Wow~ In that case, Serena won~" Brianna blinked her bright, clear eyes. "So... shouldn't the bet be honored now?"
How could Karen and Isabella possibly accept the utter humiliation of kneeling in public?
Apologize to Serena? Absolutely not! Kneel and crawl out? Even less possible!
Karen absolutely couldn't afford to lose face like this. Her eyes darted. "This doesn't count! When Isabella was performing you... Serena, you deliberately started a fight over there, disrupting Isabella's rhythm and affecting her performance!"
As long as they refused to admit they were less skilled, what could Serena do to them?
"Is that so
Serena's eyes narrowed
ve
slightly as a knowing smirk played on her lips as she stood up crisply
from the piano bench. Contey
She stepped aside, her voice laced with playful laziness. "Fine. I'll give you a
chance. Have you composed yourself now? Please."
Isabella's eyes were so red they looked like they'd been dipped in poison as she glared viciously at Serena.
This damned country bumpkin was doing it on purpose!
Serena knew perfectly well that even if she composed herself, sat back down, and played it again, she could never outperform her!
To do it again would be nothing short of self-inflicted humiliation!
Serena just wanted to embarrass her in public, to put her in an impossible position!
"I... My condition right now..." Isabella stammered, trying to find an excuse to refuse.
Mr. Kessler had already spoken up. "Even if you played it a hundred more times, you wouldn't come
close to a fraction of Miss Serenas
skill! This is the gap between talent and effort."