Section 11: Salieri's Script Pitch

Now that this has escalated into a detective competition...or rather, a contest to see who can come up with a more solid structure for this story...

...I would like to throw my hat into the ring. In fact, I feel I must...

You too, Salieri?

Hm?

I mean, your character has just seemed to draw much less attention compared to everyone else, so...

Of course I have questions, though not about the film. What is it I'm doing here?

...No, never mind that. I already decided I would try to live up to the queen's hopes for me.

...?

...I have been thinking about this man I have been inhabiting, Antonio.

I wasn't able to learn much about him from Murasaki Shikibu, so I still don't know who he is.

All I know is, he shares my name and also used to be a court musician... Ha! How bitterly ironic!

... ...

Still, if I assume there is a slight chance that Antonio was a flesh and blood person who truly existed, then I can imagine what he must be thinking.

It took me some time, but eventually, I did arrive at the core of who Antonio is.

Yeah, it was tough getting into our characters, wasn't it?

I'm just glad Murasaki helped me out by making Roma similar to me.

Indeed, she did the same for me and Antonio.

It was a conscious choice on her part. Once I realized that, the rest was relatively easy.

Though, at the same time...I also noticed there was a contradiction in his story.

A contradiction, hmm?

Given how much has been improvised, I'm not sure there's much point in worrying about a contradiction or two.

No, this one goes back to the very beginning...

...when Murasaki Shikibu was still involved with the production.

I suspected she planted that detail intentionally, and thought long and hard about what it could mean!

Hmm, I don't remember anything strange. All I remember is that the footage came out well...

This was from the very beginning! Go on, think back!

Surely you remember this exchange between Antonio and Roma!

Oh, that's all right. At any rate, I'm surprised you made it through the massacre. I remember they slaughtered everyone in the palace that day, even the noncombatants.

That's, um...

Oh, yeah, I remember that now. But what's so weird about that line?

Everything!

Take Vargas and García! How do you think they survived the massacre when their castle fell!?

How the hell should I know? Maybe they just got lucky?

You need to ask? The royal family's retainers clearly risked their lives to help them escape.

That is what it is to be a loyal servant, even in the face of your country's imminent collapse!

You don't say.

Maybe that means Vargas and García have been fending for themselves all this time because they were the only ones who managed to escape?

Besides, maybe it's because the prince witnessed loyalty like that when things were so dire...

...that he grew up with such a strong sense of justice.

Now that I think about it... It does seem strange that the former government's court musician would have survived.

Exactly. When the castle fell, the only ones meriting any sort of protection would have been royalty.

Antonio would never have been spared, no matter how talented a musician he may have been.

Perhaps Antonio had some fans among the court, just as the prince had his retainers?

Fans so devoted as to be willing to risk their lives for him? No one would do that, even for a peerless genius, let alone an ordinary person.

？！

...For the purposes of this story, assume that there was no one quite so odd as that.

No, the reason Antonio survived the attack is obvious.

He was relieved of his post as court musician just before the revolution took place.

Yeah, that tracks. But why was he fired then?

Ha! As if you need ask!

Because he lacked talent!

And without such talent...he must have been utterly lost once he no longer had his position at the palace.

That's awful...

B-but then, in that case, how did he become such a popular musician?

There is a great deal of difference between what is popular with the masses and what is appreciated at court.

...A great deal of difference.

Sounds like a guy speaking from experience.

... ...

...I am not Salieri. There is no point in bringing that up now.

All right, that should fill in the blanks for Antonio's background.

The next question is, why did he so fervently wish to come to the Meihousou?

Now that you mention it, he did say he had to pull every string he could just to get here.

After hearing rumors that Miguel had a fondness for young women, he may have thought to present Elise as a gift.

Whoa. Scumbag, much? Prick should do the world a favor and die in a fire.

Hell, I've got some gas and plenty of matches right here. Ready to burn, asshole?

Just as a reminder, there still hasn't been a single crime committed here!

Anyway, I still don't get why Antonio would do that. He'd already found success as a popular musician, right?

He's got fame and money. What else would the guy want at this point?

That's exactly it.

Antonio came to the Meihousou in search of something neither fame nor money could provide him.

Something he wanted badly enough that he was willing to sell off his own partner.

And what was that?

Sheet music. The sheet music left here by past court musicians.

I don't know how much they left behind, but whatever it was had to be here in the Meihousou.

Miguel was going around collecting all sorts of documents anyway, so I don't see why sheet music couldn't be among them.

No matter how successful Antonio was among the larger populace...

...it could never wipe away the stain of his youthful failure. And he found himself unable to turn away from it completely.

So he wanted to see the music his dead colleagues had left behind one more time.

...He had to know for sure.

Had he made up for his prior lack of skill over the past ten years? Or was the gap insurmountable, no matter how hard he worked?

They do say to write from experience if you want to quickly infuse a work with gravitas.

While the finer details are, of course, quite different, it would seem bringing in elements of Antonio Salieri's own life here bear that out.

It's a hell of a lot to throw at the viewer. But that's how it should be!

I think it's a wonderful idea!

But, um, it doesn't really get to the truth of the larger story, or help with its conclusion, does it?

If we went with it, it would make this story all about Antonio, rather than the murder at the Meihousou.

...I did think about how I could fit this story's existing pieces together.

But I'm not as practiced at this as the others. Don't expect too much regarding the truth of this case.

That said, I did think of a conclusion. I imagine it's just the sort of thing you would expect from an Avenger.

Well? What is it? Color me curious.

I, for one, would be quite interested in hearing a conclusion that doesn't cast me as the mastermind!

I see no point in going into detail on a story that may never be filmed.

All I will say for now is that if we do set about filming it, I expect I will need Sir Tristan's help.

Hmm, I see. Well, if my help is required, then I would be glad to give it.

(Though of course, that won't happen, since my idea is sure to be the one that's chosen.)

(At least, I think so!)

Geez, what's got you so worked up?