The Devil&#039;s Trill

The dance scene, and the chapter, are finally over! No, Miriam wasn’t drugged, she’s just happy. XP
Chapter 3 will be beginning soon! Thanks for reading.

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When Florian and Miriam straighten back up, Florian adjust his hold on her by moving both of his hands to her waist. He has a mischevious grin on his face. Their environment appears to be becoming bright and multicolor as Joseph resumes playing the song.
Florian: In fact, I insist we botch it! Let's twirl all around until we're sick.
Miriam smiles at him, still with tears of relief in her eyes.
Miriam: Heh... heheh, aye, let's!

Florian and Miriam hold each other close while spinning in careless circles.
Florian: It's the Polka-Nausea!
Miriam: Hehahah!
Florian: That's more like it!

A closeup of Miriam's face. She's laughing with her eyes closed as they twirl, her tears flying away on the wind.
Miriam narrates: Perhaps the tea and cakes had just made me giddy...

A shot of the music room. Joseph plays the song on the piano without much of a care, while Miriam and Florian continue to twirl around. Bright colors of various shades seem to engulf everything.
Miriam narrates: But as our dancing went on, the world seemed to become more colorful and vibrant. A whirlwind of delirious euphoria. Freedom... at last.

End of Chapter 2

7 Comments

Chapter 2, Page 41: Uplifted

by SarahN on October 15, 2025 at 12:00 am

Miriam finally accepting that Florian’s not going to bite her head off. (Also I love this page. X3)

One page left for this chapter! :O

Sorry for the repeated delays, everyone. I’ve just been burnt out and distracted lately.

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Florian and Miriam are twirling along.
Florian: Slide... cut... lift...

But Miriam loses her footing...
Florian: Step--

...and falls into Florian, who manages to catch her with a bemused expression.
Miriam: Ghh!

Miriam, still leaning against Florian (who we can see is grinning), is now red-faced and in such a panic that she forgets to pull herself off of him.
Miriam thinking: You clumsy idiot!

Florian looks down at her, having noticed she's gone rigid.
Florian: Let go of your tension.

Miriam pulls back (off-screen) to look at Florian, who's smiling at her and completely unbothered by the mistake.
Florian: I'm not judging your dancing. Botch it for fun, if you like!

Miriam stares at him in surprise, eyes welling with tears from the relief.
Florian: If you fall, then I'll fall with you... and then we'll get up and dance like fools some more!

10 Comments

Chapter 2, Page 40: Polka-Mazurka

by SarahN on September 17, 2025 at 12:00 am

Hey y’all! It took like ten years for them to finally dance but here we go! XP
The song they’re dancing to that was mentioned in the previous page.

Anyway, as for what’s going on with me…things have definitely improved with my real life situations, but due to other concerns I still haven’t fully been able to bounce back in terms of mood, so I can’t promise I won’t have weeks where I just can’t draw.

In particular recent events of many states in the USA pushing bills involving adult content censorship and ID verification for sites in states, including one in my state that apparently already passed. I’m not even sure I’ll be able to access certain sites (like BlueSky) after September 30th. I’m not giving out my ID everywhere and it’s very iffy on whether I’ll be able to use something like a VPN.

So please subscribe to my two comics’ RSS or at least keep an eye on my other social media so you can keep up with updates! And of course, simply keeping my sites bookmarked ye ol’ fashioned way is also a good idea.

One article said it’d be just p0rn sites but the wording on the bill changed last minute to anything “obscene/harmful to minors”, which could mean literally anything they want. I’d LOVE to be wrong about this but I really don’t know, and it still doesn’t change how widespread (in the USA and globally) this is becoming, which makes it harder for me to get eyes on my work or even keep in contact with other artists and friends online.

I’ll do what I can on my end, and I can only HOPE sites like my mine will remain untouched (slight hope in that it said it was mostly targeting “organizations” but who knows, and even then, what will that mean for small comic hosts like ComicFury??). It’s been very scary watching the internet go this Hays Code direction. I may not make p0rn, but I do make R-rated content, and violent and mid-risque art are quickly being targeted as well. If you’re in the US consider calling your reps and fighting this as hard as you can because god knows what this will mean for the future of online art and indie art businesses that don’t want to be vanilla as hell.

On the slightly brighter side, however, I think I may have a sufficient buffer for Knell made. So barring any extra breaks, I should be getting the update ball rolling again.

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Florian moves Miriam's hand lower so that it's sitting more on his upper arm.
Florian: It's best to just let your hand sit wherever it's comfortable. And fortunately we'll be looking towards where we're going... so you needn't give yourself a neck injury trying to keep your eyes locked with mine.
Miriam can't help but laugh at loud.
Miriam: Hahaha!
Florian: Now let's begin, shall we?

A closeup shot of Joseph's hands starting to play the piano. He's playing "La Viennoise" by Johann Strauss II.
Florian (off-screen): Try to match my footwork. Aaand... slide... cut... lift... step... step... step.

A shot of Florian and Miriam dancing the polka-mazurka. Florian is smiling at Miriam as the motions seem to be second nature to him, while Miriam seems to be concentrating hard on the steps while also being riddled with embarrassment.
Florian: Slide... cut... lift... step... step... step. See, you do remember!
Miriam: Mhmph...

6 Comments

Chapter 2, Page 39: Tall Dance Partner

by SarahN on July 23, 2025 at 12:00 am

For Victorian dances that are close like that, the girl’s left hand is usually supposed to sit on the man’s back/shoulder, which I thought might be a bit of a reach for poor Miriam since Florian’s so tall at 6’4. I’m also a shorty so I relate to Miriam’s issue here. XP

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Florian has gotten a hold of Miriam by the shoulders and turned her around, smiling. Miriam mostly complies but looks very timorous.
Miriam: I hardly practiced that dance! Nor am I very good at the regular polka.
Florian: Don't worry, it isn't difficult!

After getting to more open floor, Florian moves in front of Miriam, getting in position for the dance. Miriam looks away solemnly.
Miriam: Oh, this is going to be a disaster...
Florian: Then we'll call it the Disaster Mazurka.

Joseph speaks from at the piano (off-screen).
Joseph: Sir, is Strauss' "La Viennoise" adequate?
Florian turns his head to look at him, at first not noticing that Miriam is shakily trying to position her hand on the back of his shoulder.
Florian: Oui! Merci, Joseph.

Florian realizes what Miriam's doing and looks at her. We see just how opposite their height differences are as Florian towers over Miriam.
Florian: Something wrong?
Miriam pulls her hand back and blushes furiously.
Miriam: I'm sorry! It's just... you're so tall, I can hardly reach--

Florian grins and does a shrugging gesture with his hand.
Florian: Oh, haha, indeed! I've been told my great grandfather was a giant Dutchman!
Miriam is still blushing and looking embarrassed but chuckles at his quip.
Miriam: Heheh...

6 Comments

Chapter 2, Page 38: Waffling

by SarahN on June 26, 2025 at 12:00 am

Miriam tried to nope out of there.

Quadrille: A group dance.
Polka mazurka: A combo of…well, the polka and the mazurka. Sort of a skippy waltz with faster steps and lil hops. It seems to have a few slight variations.

I spent waayy too much time trying to research Victorian dances. XP

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Miriam stares up at Florian with a more audacious expression as he puts his hand out to her once more.

She takes his hand with a defiant smile.

Florian leads Miriam (now also standing) by the hand to the open floor.
Florian: That's the spirit!

Florian continues to lead Miriam as he looks to the side, raising an eyebrow.
Florian: I believe our dance would've been the quadrille at the party... but seeing as we're short a few people, I don't think that's feasible now.
Miriam smiles at him.
Miriam: Heh, the waltz then?

Florian looks at her and uses his free hand to do an upwards pointing gesture with his finger.
Florian: Well, I was thinking of the polka-mazurka.
Miriam's eyes go comically wide with dread.

Miriam, still looking stressed, suddenly turns around. She's seemingly about to head back to her seat.
Florian laughs and puts a hand on her shoulder, trying to stop her.
Florian: Hahaha, what are you doing?!

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Chapter 2, Page 37: Spite Move

by SarahN on June 5, 2025 at 12:00 am

Have your cake and dance too.

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Miriam looks over at Joseph at the piano. He's staring at the pair and waiting patiently to see if the next piece he plays will be for dancing.
Miriam: Oh, you can't be serious, sir!

Florian is smirking but looks determined.
Florian: I'm deadly serious. We were robbed of the one thing we both truly desired out of that loathsome night.

A silly looking shot of the couple. Miriam looks anxious while Florian smiles a big grin with his hand still held out to her, undeterred.
Miriam: But I... I just had three tea cakes!
Florian: Energy for the dance!

Miriam looks away dejectedly. Florian lowers his hand.
Miriam: P-Please don't ask this of me... I did desire to at the party but I've honestly never danced outside of practice at home. I fear I'll... embarrass myself.

Florian pulls his hand back to himself to gesture.
Florian: You won't even do it out of spite?
Miriam smiles but looks confused.
Miriam: ...Haha, what?

Florian gives Miriam a more devilish grin, raising an eyebrow.
Florian: You know how they'd detest the idea of our dancing together, in private, without the need of their approval. Doesn't the thought of that make you feel a little... triumphant?

7 Comments

Chapter 2, Page 36: Second Attempt

by SarahN on May 14, 2025 at 12:00 am

Sounds familiar.

Surprise day early update!

I edited that fourth panel with Florian three times. Just an annoying angle with arms that looked wrong. Still not great but I feel better about it now, I think.

Also, this is the first page where I started using anti-aliased (soft) lines instead of aliased (hard & pixely) ones in this comic. Though it’s more obvious in the HD pages.

EDIT: I forgot to mention! Due to a recent court ruling, the 30% Apple fee that happens if you use the Patreon app will no longer be a thing! Yayy~! Only thing I’m not sure about is whether this is in full effect now? Pretty sure it is.

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Florian sets down his cigar in an ash tray on the table.
Florian: Now then...

Florian stands up from his seat. Miriam remains in hers, watching him.
Florian: Before we part until dinner, there's something I must insist upon.

Florian puts out a hand to Miriam. She looks at it, confused.
Florian: For as you might know, that party left me feeling...

A shot from Miriam's point of view, looking up at Florian with his hand out to her. He has a smile on his face.
Florian: Most incomplete.

Miriam stares up at him, still confused.

Then it suddenly hits her and her eyes go wide.

Miriam smiles and furrows her brow.
Miriam: You can't mean...

6 Comments

Chapter 2, Page 35: Infernal Majesty

by SarahN on April 17, 2025 at 12:00 am

Yeah, don’t reveal your backstory too quickly, Florian.

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Miriam stares in shock at Florian's words.

She looks away, now a bit anxious.
Miriam: I... I see.

Miriam looks back at Florian and grins, trying to downplay the discussion.
Miriam: With how you speak and as well as you play, sir, one might think you had been taught by the devil as well.
Florian takes another puff of his cigar and looks deep in thought.

We then only see the lower half of Florian's (still serious) face, smoke all around.
Florian: My father was close enough.

Miriam looks at him with surprise once again, and also concern.

Florian tilts his head back and looks at Miriam with a smile.
Florian: Hah, I apologize. There's far too much passion and distasteful jests coming from me all of a sudden.

Florian does a sort of shrugging gesture with his hands.
Florian: Alas, I've received no such offer from his infernal majesty... but considering Tartini and Paganini, I think he prefers Italians.
Miriam still looks a bit uneasy, but does a closed mouth laugh at his joke.
Miriam: Hmhmhm...

11 Comments

Chapter 2, Page 34: Soul Stagnation

by SarahN on March 27, 2025 at 12:00 am

Just a normal tea time conversation.

I actually considered cutting this bit of dialogue, but it would mean Miriam wouldn’t question the whole “deal with the Devil” story, which considering the religious upbringing she had, wouldn’t make much sense. She may be angry at her family but she still hasn’t just turned off everything she was strictly raised by.

Also LOOKIE! I got a lovely fanart of Florian and Miriam by Mayshing! She’s made the webcomics E-depth Angel and 2Masters, and is also now working on an anime series called Cante Diary! Thank you so much! 💜

I don’t have much fanart right now but I am debating making a section for it (for the Knell site too). I’m at an impasse because I should try to save some site space but I want to show love to all fanarts I get! Hmm.

In other news I started adding transcripts (below) to new pages, but still have to add them to the past ones, which I’ll be doing little by little.

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Miriam looks away, lost in thought.
Miriam: Who could just... sell their soul? Even in a dream? Even the song, as beautiful as he managed to make it, seems like it was hardly worth giving up Heaven for. Almost like it was a cruel tease.

Florian shrugs, cigar still in hand.
Florian: The sonata became his most famous work still. Maybe he believed it was only his subconscious being creative and he had given up nothing.

Florian then looks away with a frown, but his eyes aren't visible.
Florian: ...Or perhaps the benign had already left him so uninspired. So it was an easy choice to make.
Miriam looks on with a nervous smile, not sure whether or not he's joking.
Miriam: You... can't mean what you say.

Florian looks at Miriam with a rather grave expression, a rare occurrence for him.
Florian: What good is a soul if it stagnates, Mademoiselle Pierce? If a life of so-called "purity" had left it dull and corroded regardless, then why keep it?

Florian looks away and smiles haughtily, clenching a fist near his face.
Florian: Either way... the song is a testament to the forbidden that I cannot resist.

6 Comments

Chapter 2, Page 33: Song of Damnation

by SarahN on March 6, 2025 at 1:00 am

He knows that, Miriam.

Believe it or not Florian didn’t pick that room to have tea in just so he could point out that art. XP In fact putting that on the wall was a last minute idea on my end. That art was done by Louis-Léopold Boilly, by the way.

There was actually an even nicer painting related to that story I could’ve used there, but it was made a few years AFTER this comic is set and I’m still accuracy-obsessive sometimes.

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