Maylily - Chapter 7

On his usual commute to work, Martin Fritz was typically in a foul mood, but today he entered the director’s office humming a tune.

What had brightened his day more than anything was a letter he received from David Curren just yesterday afternoon. In it, David conveyed that Maylily had finally accepted the sponsorship offer from Count Everscourt and urged her swift reinstatement.

It was an unsurprising conclusion. For a man who had secured business rights from the Cartia royal family despite their hostility toward Riverton capital, coercing a nameless opera singer to comply likely wasn’t difficult.

Fortunately, Martin had already received a heads-up from the Count and had held off on processing her termination paperwork. So simply notifying Maylily of her reinstatement neatly wrapped up the past week’s turmoil.

Just as Martin picked up his pen to write a reply confirming this to the Count’s side, a knock interrupted his humming.

“Have you been well, Director?”

It was Maylily, who entered the room to offer her reinstatement greeting. With spring season rehearsals scheduled tightly, she had returned to the theater as soon as she received the notification.

“Oh, welcome back, Maylily!”

Martin sprang up to greet her.

“You’ve grown pale. If you’d just listened to me from the start, you wouldn’t have gone through such trouble, and neither of us would’ve had to frown at each other.”

“…I’m sorry for causing concern.”

“Well, I didn’t say that just to get an apology. Let’s work well together with a fresh mindset.”

Gone was the cold expression Martin had shown when informing her of her dismissal, and now he spoke warmly, like a completely different person.

When Martin made the rare decision to bring Maylily into the Roden Opera Company—an organization largely composed of graduates from prestigious music schools across the continent—it was because of her naturally gifted voice, exceptional skill, and pretty face.

A lure to catch a big fish.

That was the role Martin envisioned for Maylily.

Though still unripe like a green fruit, he believed that with steady growth and maturity, she could easily win the hearts of even the most haughty nobles.

A century ago, the Roden Opera House and its affiliated opera company, ballet company, and orchestra were founded and operated with support from the Riverton imperial family. But as that support gradually declined, their reliance on external sponsorship sharply increased over the past two to three decades.

Naturally, competition among directors to secure sponsorship became heated. The ability to discover and cultivate captivating talent that could appeal to wealthy nobles became a key measure of a director’s worth.

In that sense, Maylily had proven a great asset to Martin’s pride and reputation far earlier than expected.

What a remarkable girl!

Of course, her repeated rejections of noble sponsorship offers had severely tested Martin’s patience. But in light of Hugh Skaard’s name, he chose to forgive all of it.

Hugh Skaard! Not just anyone, but the Hugh Skaard!

A man who owned hotels bearing his family’s name in major cities across the continent and was called the “bloodless conqueror,” he was the most sought-after figure by every theater owner and director in Roden.

That very man had become the patron of a newcomer—one under Martin’s charge—who hadn’t even made her debut. And it was thanks to his generosity that a girl from a humble background had finally received her just reward. Struggling to contain his excitement, Martin opened his mouth.

“You agreed to keep the sponsorship secret for now, didn’t you?”

This was the only disappointing part of the arrangement.

Hugh Skaard, a man of immense wealth, youth, and beauty, was a celebrity in Riverton’s press and social circles.

If word got out that Maylily was being sponsored by such a man, her recognition would skyrocket, and ticket sales would surely benefit, too.

But for now, it seemed such ripple effects couldn’t be expected.

“Yes, the Count said he’d decide whether to continue the sponsorship after seeing my performance this spring.”

Even for someone as powerful as Hugh Skaard, having never once been rumored to be engaged or romantically involved, openly keeping a mistress—or rather, a sponsored singer—would draw uncomfortable attention.

Martin smirked inwardly at the flimsy excuse. Still, he had no intention of shattering Maylily’s naïve belief in preserving the Count’s dignity.

“Then be careful not to let word get out to the other members. I trust you’ll do well, even with a small role.”

“Yes, I’ll give it my all.”

“If you make it through this spring, greater opportunities will come. So mind your manners around the Count.”

Because he’s the one who’ll buy you those opportunities.

Whether she caught the meaning hidden between the lines or not, Maylily responded in a low, suddenly serious voice.

“Yes, Director.”

***

In the afternoon, a rehearsal was scheduled for the entire cast and orchestra of the spring season’s opening production.

Because full makeup, costumes, and props were required just as in the actual performance, the chorus members had gathered in the dressing room since morning. All at once, the hands busy with changing clothes and fixing hair froze when Maylily, who had vanished without a word, suddenly reappeared.

“She said she quit because she was sick, but she’s back already? Maybe it was all fake.”

“I heard she got a scout offer from somewhere else, but it fell through.”

“Only Beth, who lost her role because of her return, is really unlucky.”

Behind Maylily, who stood straight in front of the cabinet, changing clothes, sharp gazes exchanged in silence.

“Did you hear anything from the director, Vanessa?”

“Who knows.”

Vanessa shrugged as she paused her makeup. Her eyes, through the vanity mirror, landed on Maylily’s reflection, still rustic and insufferable.

“Maylily has a sponsor now, so stop tormenting her. She’s not someone you can treat carelessly anymore.”

Just last evening before closing time, Vanessa’s uncle, Martin Fritz, summoned her to the director’s office and warned that he would no longer overlook her mistreatment of Maylily.

To think she had fallen beneath that bumpkin.

What dug even deeper into Vanessa’s pride was the fact that Maylily, not yet debuted, had secured a sponsor before she had.

Vanessa was a second-year member who graduated at the top of her class from Riverton’s most prestigious music institution, the Royal Conservatory. She had been on stage since last fall and had been cast in twice as many productions as Maylily this spring. Not all chorus members were the same.

The only way to redeem this humiliation was to obtain a sponsor more powerful and wealthier than Maylily’s.

Thus, she had persistently questioned Martin about Maylily’s sponsor, but he remained silent. Instead, he told her to pretend not to know and warned her to keep quiet.

How impressive could a bumpkin’s sponsor be, anyway?

If she had been satisfied with someone unimpressive, Vanessa could have gotten a sponsor long ago herself. This wasn’t a battle that had been decided yet.

As always, Vanessa suppressed the anxiety and nervousness stirred by Maylily with scorn and ridicule. But even as she finished her makeup and styled her hair, her curiosity about the unknown sponsor continued to grow.

***

After signing a sponsorship contract with Count Everscourt, Maylily’s daily life returned to normal in just one day. Problems she had no hope of resolving on her own were cleared away with absurd ease through a few letters bearing the Count’s name.

Maylily spent her busy days participating in final rehearsals for the spring productions. Though she had missed a week, thanks to her diligent prior practice, she had no trouble catching up.

With the start of a new season just around the corner, a pleasant sense of anticipation and the right amount of tension brought vitality to the theater. Maylily was grateful to have regained her peaceful routine and enjoyed each day to the fullest.

Of course, her daily life didn’t exactly match its previous form. A few things had changed in her personal circumstances, and naturally, those were due to the sponsorship.

Count Everscourt promised to support all of Maylily’s living expenses and demanded she devote herself entirely to her singing career.

“Your success will be proof of my artistic eye. So I hope you’ll stop carrying plates and focus on honing your skills.”

And so, she quit her job as a waitress. After having begged to increase her hours, she felt so guilty quitting just a few days later that she didn’t know how to face it.

At first, Mr. Hosier had been taken aback, but after receiving financial compensation for the sudden resignation, he laughed heartily, saying life was unpredictable anyway. He sincerely wished Maylily success and even offered her warm encouragement.

She also developed a new habit. To get to know the city better, Maylily had been trying different routes to and from work, but lately, she deliberately excluded the Skaard Hotel from those routes.

She didn’t want to run into Count Everscourt, accidentally or otherwise, for a while.

The contradictions inherent in the behavior he had shown in their past three meetings left her confused and unsettled. For example, commanding words in a gentle tone, smiles that masked threats, and cold stares that clung like moisture.

For Maylily, whose emotional expressions were straightforward—smiling when happy and crying when sad—he was a particularly difficult man. Just the thought of facing him again made her palms sweat.

Thus, even while avoiding the area around the Skaard Hotel, Maylily always kept a freshly washed and pressed handkerchief with her. She had promised to return it to the Count the next time they met, after all.