“Is it really this hard to find just one woman?”
The angry voice of the intruder who burst in with intense energy shook the old window that had been stuck in the castle wall. James, who had been reviewing a bill sent by an employee on a business trip to the north to find the chief’s daughter, let out a deep sigh and set down his pen.
In Roden, the capital of Riverton, there is a well-known district filled with gamblers and drunkards. It seems pointless to even discuss the kind of people who visit the detective agency tucked away at the end of a narrow alley. But the truth is, there has never been a case quite like this one.
“Where are the nineteen-year-old women from Fordshire? If only Nari had known your daughter’s name, this would have been much faster.”
That was the problem. This pathetic man was desperately looking for his daughter, but he did not even know her name.
It may seem unbelievable that a father could be so heartless and shameless, but it was still too soon to be surprised. The reason this disgraceful man had come searching for the daughter he had abandoned for over twelve years was even more outrageous.
Victor Haywood, the second son of a wealthy author, had inherited a small fortune. He wasted it all on failed investments and gambling, eventually drowning in debt. He had neither the skill nor the determination to work and repay what he owed.
Last summer, Victor reached a breaking point. He had invested every last coin he had into a gold mine project, hoping it would turn his life around. But the plan failed. When the banks refused to help him, he borrowed money from Marcus Cobb, a notorious loan shark in Burheen. The deadline for repayment was only a few months away.
Two weeks ago, Victor, who had been living in fear of being taken away as a slave to the colonial mines, returned to the streets and completely lost control of himself.
“Well, well, I had a daughter once who went missing. She is going to save me, sooner or later. Viscount Dawson promised to clear my debts if I give him her hand in marriage. If I am lucky and she looks like me, maybe someone wealthier than the old man will come along and offer more.”
Victor Haywood was the perfect example of a man without a sense of responsibility or duty. He was nearly fifty years old and had never married. He had lived for years with a mistress but had no children with her.
People who saw Victor shouting and reeking of alcohol thought he had gone insane from drowning in the misery of his life. Even James was tempted to believe that. But when Victor handed him an old item while begging for help finding his daughter, it was something that made James stop and consider the possibility.
It was a faded envelope with an old post office stamp. Inside was a letter written by Victor. In it, he informed a woman named Jung that she was pregnant. The letter was dated nineteen years ago, and her name was clearly written at the bottom.
That was the only clue they had about Victor’s unknown daughter.
“I did not hire you to figure that out. If you are going to say something irresponsible like that, then just return the money you took. There are plenty of detectives on Roden Street who can replace you.”
He wished he could throw the small deposit in the sergeant’s face and spit on him. But James had his reasons for holding back.
“Please keep Victor Haywood under control until we give you further instructions. We will send our men regularly to check on the progress. The slower the investigation, the better.”
A week ago, a young man with a sharp look and gold-rimmed glasses approached James and made a secret offer. He said the reward would increase based on how long James cooperated.
The man, believed to be from a wealthy noble family, never revealed his identity. James did not bother to ask. Who would care whether a name was real or fake? In these streets, the only thing that mattered was money.
James accepted the advance payment without hesitation. The man clearly knew how things worked. James did not need to weigh whether it was better to side with Victor or the man who approached him.
James swallowed his frustration as he thought about the next payment he was supposed to receive. Then he spoke.
“I am not blaming Nari, but this is why things are slowing down. It has not even been ten days yet, so give it some time. Our team is searching the house your daughter lived in after she was born. You should hear something soon. If you replace the detective now, would it not just waste more time by restarting everything?”
Victor’s expression softened as he gave in to the calm reasoning. He knew better than anyone that getting his deposit back was impossible. He sighed and ran his hand through his shiny blond hair.
“I have been feeling so hopeless lately that I raised my voice without meaning to. You know how bad things are for me right now.”
“Of course, I understand. A parent’s heart jumps into action the moment it involves their child.”
“Exactly. That is what I mean. Think about it. If my daughter looks anything like me, would men not be drawn to her? I cannot sleep at night. I worry she will meet the wrong man and ruin her life.”
It was an unbelievably shameless thing to say, especially from a man who had never truly been a father for even a day. But James could not help but agree with him, at least a little.
“I do not have a single thing.”
Victor’s appearance was so striking that it was hard to believe he was a swindler. His features were delicate, almost ethereal, and he gave off a sense of freshness and grace unusual for a man. He looked at least five or six years younger than others his age and appeared to be well cared for.
If his daughter had inherited that beauty, she would no doubt be the kind of woman who could steal the hearts of many men.
The irony, however, was that Victor, who claimed to worry about the damage such beauty might bring, was the very man most likely to ruin it.
It was a morning when the fading cold hinted that spring was approaching. As Maylily walked through the garden, the fresh green buds that had just awakened from their winter slumber seemed to stretch and breathe. Her footsteps, light and soft, felt as if she were walking on clouds.
Today was the rehearsal for the spring season performance. It was not an official show, but Maylily was filled with excitement at the thought of standing on the stage of the Roden Opera House, something she had dreamed of for so long. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with anticipation as she stepped into the theater.
The dressing room on the second floor, reached by climbing the old stairs, was bustling with choir members preparing for rehearsal. Maylily removed her thick fur gloves and gave a quiet nod to a few members who glanced her way.
As usual, no one replied. Maylily let out a quiet sigh as she tucked her scarf and gloves into the cabinet.
“Oh my, did you come to work in a stage costume?”
Vanessa Fritz, who had approached without warning, looked over Maylily’s outfit as she asked the question. The navy dress Maylily wore had no decorations aside from the buttons on the front. It had clearly faded from being washed far too many times.
“No, these are my clothes.”
Even though it was not the least bit funny, the group behind Vanessa started giggling.
“Oh, really? I thought it was a stage costume because it looks so old-fashioned. You are such a country bumpkin.”
Maylily had once played the role of a country girl in a past performance, different from the one she was preparing for now. But she knew Vanessa was not talking about that role. The insult went beyond the stage. Maylily chose to stay quiet.
“Country bumpkin.” That was the cruel nickname Vanessa’s group used behind Maylily’s back whenever they talked about her.
“Where do you even buy clothes like that?”
“Don’t you think they belonged to your grandmother?”
“Surely you do not want to be that poor.”
Vanessa and her friends returned to their seats, still laughing, while Maylily stood in silence. The rest of the members, although they did not speak, watched the scene unfold with uncomfortable stillness.
Vanessa was the niece of Martin Fritz, the director of the Roden Opera where they worked. No one in the company would stand by Maylily, especially not against a woman backed by someone so powerful.
The tension surrounding Vanessa had started last summer when Maylily joined the team.
The Roden Opera Company was the most prestigious opera group in Riverton. Most of its members were considered elites who had graduated from famous music schools. In contrast, Maylily had come from a small music school in the countryside and had worked in a local opera company on the outskirts of the city. Still, her talent and hard work were recognized, and she eventually moved up.
Vanessa likely believed that Maylily, who came from a less traditional background, was lowering the reputation of the opera company. She seemed to look down on her and pushed her away. Whether it was fortunate or not, Maylily had experienced this kind of treatment so many times that her heart had become numb.
“Actually, that kid’s mom isn’t his real mother. She’s, his aunt.”
“I thought it was strange that the boy had a different last name than his siblings.”
“They say his mother died right after giving birth. And no one knows who the father is.”
Maylily had been called illegitimate since she was a child. She had grown up facing judgment, humiliation, and cruelty. Even so, she had managed to rise above the prejudice.
More importantly, the road she had taken was one of integrity. It was not the path most people took, but it was one she could walk with pride. There was nothing shameful about it, even if it looked different.
So do not let it break you. A singer’s worth does not come from their background. It comes from their ability to move others through song.
Back then, I was just another unknown voice, but I believed in myself. I was sure that once I stepped onto that stage, my talent would be seen. I knew that one day, I would reach the top.
Maylily took a deep breath to calm herself and began changing her clothes as if nothing had happened.
