Maylily - Chapter 11

A Cartian-language piece was scheduled to be performed at the season opening stage just two days away. Playing the role of a country girl who admires a war hero, the male lead, Maylily had to master three chorus pieces and one short recitative.

“Today, let’s go over the pieces you’ll sing the day after tomorrow. Start with the first one, paying close attention to pronunciation and delivery.”

Michele listened attentively to Maylily’s singing, carefully marking the score where guidance was needed. His usual method was to teach by breaking the song into meaningful segments, but he listened to the entire piece this time, enjoying her clear and strong voice.

“You’re good enough to be on stage as a soloist right now.”

As Maylily finished singing, Michele stood from the table, clapping. The unexpected praise made Maylily blush.

“Ah… thank you.”

“There’s nothing to critique in your singing, but there are several areas to improve in Cartian. Here, let’s go over the notes I marked.”

Michele pulled the nearby music stand and placed the sheet music on it. Maylily’s eyes sparkled like a child holding a fascinating toy as she looked at the score filled with meticulous notes.

Her eyes, filled more with excitement for learning than shame from correction… were truly admirable.

Suppressing a smile, Michele stood beside her and resumed the lesson with his usual seriousness. He often used his charm to grease the wheels of his lessons, but always within appropriate limits. After once getting entangled in a scandal with a colleague during his opera days, he had since drawn a clear line between workplace and playground.

This time, however, he needed to cross that “appropriate line,” which made it different from usual, but for now, Michele decided to maintain his standard demeanor.

The woman who hesitated even before a handshake clearly had no experience with men. Approaching such a naive woman too quickly would only provoke rejection and wariness.

So first, he had to build trust as a capable and diligent instructor. Still, it felt like a shame to just admire this soft and tender-looking woman from afar, so he planned to lightly test the waters.

About an hour and a half into the lesson, after they had covered the three chorus pieces.

[From his blade shines the bravery of a warrior.]

Maylily sang the final recitative and looked at Michele, eyes shining as she awaited his evaluation. Though it was a short line that would pass by the audience’s ears in a flash, her passion for perfection was fully embedded in it.

“If you extend this vowel enough and clearly emphasize the next syllable, the delivery of the line will improve a lot. Also, let’s try the ‘shines’ part again.”

[Shines.]

As Maylily repeated the final word, Michele held her chin with one hand and pressed gently on her lower lip with his thumb. Startled by the contact, Maylily flinched, but the man continued his explanation as if it were nothing unusual.

“Open your mouth wider vertically. Round your lips more. Now, try the sound just like this.”

Maylily made the sound with her lips still pressed.

[Shines.]

“Yes, that’s good.”

Michele’s thumb lightly rubbed her lips before falling away. The sensation of that moment was, for some reason, slightly unpleasant.

But when she saw Michele dutifully jotting down the previous explanation on the score, Maylily scolded herself for being overly sensitive.

Still, amidst the lingering discomfort, the first lesson came to an end.

***

The opening performance of the Roden Opera House marked the official start of the spring social season. As if to prove its symbolic status, a parade of splendid carriages lined up in front of the theater ahead of the opening night.

Elegantly dressed people filled the seats of the theater without a gap. As it was an event where members of the royal family and social figures gathered in one place, media coverage was intense.

Tonight, on the stage that captured the attention of the social world, Maylily successfully completed her first performance as a member of the Roden Opera Company.

Although it was a minor role, she showed the audience what she had prepared with great care without a single mistake. She also applied what she had learned in Cartian class just the day before.

Amid loud cheers and applause, Maylily finished the curtain call and returned to the dressing room. Inside, the chorus members buzzed with excitement, sharing the thrill of their first performance.

“I almost cried when I saw people in the front row of the stalls wiping their tears during the curtain call.”

“Did you see Crown Prince Graham and Lady Floris at the performance?”

“Yeah, they were hard to miss with all those reporters swarming around them.”

“The applause was so loud today. It felt like an earthquake.”

Passing through the excited chatter, Maylily sat down at the dressing table, suddenly overwhelmed by a surge of loneliness. If only there were someone she could share her true feelings with. She just wanted to escape this place where she always felt like oil on water, floating alone. Her hands grew busy removing her makeup.

“Wow, did that man send this?”

“Yeah, he said he was sorry he couldn’t make it to today’s performance. I told him it was fine more than once.”

“You say that, but you’re loving it.”

After overhearing the conversation of the chorus members seated beside her, the flower baskets and bouquets placed throughout the dressing room finally caught Maylily’s attention. Flowers from family, friends, lovers, and patrons decorated the room, a common sight after an opening performance.

Having finished removing her makeup, Maylily stared quietly at a basket of roses placed next to her seat and thought of her aunt’s family, who had promised to come to next month’s performance.

She could receive congratulations then.

With that thought, there was no reason to wallow in gloom on such a wonderful day. Shaking off her melancholy, Maylily stood from the dressing table, changed her clothes, and quietly left the dressing room.

The corridor leading to the theater was bustling with members and guests who had come to offer congratulations. As Maylily quietly observed them, she pulled her slightly too-thick scarf tighter around her neck and turned away.

While walking down the not-so-long hallway leading to the exit, she stopped several times to look back. No one was supposed to come for her tonight. Even so, the shadow of longing continued to stretch behind her, as if she were waiting for something.

***

Ten days had passed since the season’s opening. In that time, Maylily had performed on stage three times and was becoming more comfortable each time.

Although the scale and system were a bit different, she had already experienced opera company life in Purdshire, so everything related to the company’s operations went smoothly and without difficulty.

Except for the task she was about to, no, had to do now.

The white envelope Maylily hesitated to take out from her small handbag was so smooth it gleamed faintly. Since it was an invitation meant for patrons and distinguished guests, Director Fritz had said he had chosen the design with special care. It was proof of how much he was invested in this event.

“This is an invitation to the Roden Opera Company’s patron party next weekend. If you attend and grace us with your presence, Count, Director Fritz would be delighted.”

Held every spring, the Roden Opera Company’s patron party served as both a gala show to thank existing patrons and an opportunity to attract new supporters for the company and its members.

The reason Maylily brought the invitation directly to Count Everscourt’s office instead of sending it through David was because of what Director Fritz had said.

“It’d be best if you handed the invitation to Count Everscourt yourself, Maylily. That way, he might attend just to see your face.”

Though he spoke with a kindly smile, to Maylily, it sounded like a veiled threat to hold her responsible if the Count didn’t attend the patron party. So after days of hesitation, she had walked into the lion’s den herself.

At the very least, if the Count didn’t show up, she could argue she had done her part.

“What about you?”

Count Everscourt, who had casually glanced over the invitation placed on the table, turned his gaze to Maylily.

“Pardon?”

Nervously waiting for his response, Maylily blinked at the vague question.

“Do you want me to attend?”

The Count tilted his head slightly as he asked, his voice as gentle as if speaking to a lover. Caught off guard, Maylily swallowed hard.

“Ah… I…”

Though she knew the textbook answer, the lie wouldn’t come out. As she fumbled her words, the Count let out a short, dry chuckle. A chance to fix a worse-than-wrong answer had slipped away.

“I’ll think about it. If that’s all, you may go.”

“Please wait.”

As the Count straightened up from his reclined position in the armchair, Maylily quickly spoke with urgency.

“There’s one more thing I’d like to say.”

Before the Count’s expectant gaze, Maylily took a deep breath and brought up the main point.

“Could you change my Cartian instructor?”