Lord of The Mysterious Realms Chapter 557

Jenkins had forgotten to ask Hathaway about her peculiar cousin during their last conversation on the second floor of Pops Antique Shop. When he brought it up again, the red-haired young woman was reluctant to answer.

She would only say that her cousin wasn't a bad person, refusing to divulge any more information.

Fortunately, Jenkins wasn't one to pry into the private affairs of others, so he quickly let the topic drop.

It was Sunday, and the Silver Jasmine Opera Troupe was scheduled to perform at the Royal Opera House that evening, which meant Jenkins and Hathaway could meet them directly backstage.

Mr. Nelly had already provided Jenkins with backstage passes. After he and Hathaway stepped out of their carriage, they entered the magnificent opera house through a side entrance. An attendant was waiting to guide them, and he led them to the troupe’s dressing rooms.

In truth, Jenkins and Hathaway had been to this very place together a few months prior, though on that occasion, their purpose was to "borrow" a violin without asking.

By a remarkable coincidence, the opera troupe was using the very same dressing rooms and makeup areas as they had months ago. Jenkins felt a twinge of awkwardness, but Hathaway seemed completely unfazed.

“Baron Williamette, it is truly a pleasure to see you!”

As they rounded a corner, they saw Mr. Nelly standing alone at the end of the corridor, his hands clasped behind his back. He was gazing at an oil painting across from the dressing room door—a portrait of the great King Sals II, the third de facto owner of the Royal Opera House. Mr. Nelly was dressed in a wine-red formal suit and a black top hat, a pocket watch chain extending from his breast pocket to a button. He looked even more prosperous than Jenkins remembered.

“Oh, and you must be Miss Hathaway Hersha? A pleasure to meet you, miss.”

“A pleasure to meet you as well. I've heard a great deal about you from Jenkins. I must say, the opera troupe you manage has truly brought such art and song to Nolan City.”

With his sharp merchant's intuition, Mr. Nelly immediately noticed the familiar way Hathaway addressed Jenkins. He wasn't sure of the exact relationship between the young man and woman, but that didn't stop him from laying on the charm.

Opera was an immensely popular performing art of the era. In essence, it was a form of theater where the plot was conveyed and expressed primarily, or even entirely, through song and music—a play that was sung, not spoken.

And much like any theatrical production, an opera relied on the quintessential elements of the stage: sets, costumes, and acting. Consequently, an opera troupe consisted of far more than just the performers. Orıginal content can be found at NoveI-Fire.ɴet

Although the Silver Jasmine Opera Troupe was one of the most popular on the continent, it wasn't the largest. Even so, its core company numbered over a hundred people.

In addition to the principal performers, the troupe included prop masters, directors, musicians, and more. The people Jenkins and Hathaway were meeting that evening were primarily the actors and members of the directorial and musical teams.

The actors were there so that Jenkins and Hathaway could familiarize themselves with each performer's style, allowing them to tailor the script accordingly. The directorial and musical teams, on the other hand, were there to coordinate with the pair on the production of the libretto.

It was clear that not everyone was pleased by the arrival of Jenkins and Hathaway; to the troupe, they were merely outsiders. But with Mr. Nelly present, no one dared to voice their objections. And while the big-time merchant was certainly polite to Jenkins, he was by no means a gentle soul.

The acting director of the troupe was the former deputy director, a Mr. Dolok Hardix. He was an exceptionally serious and meticulous man when it came to his work, and it was he who would serve as Jenkins’s main point of contact in the days to come.

Hathaway was fascinated by the inner workings of the opera troupe and got along splendidly with the young actresses. Though Jenkins had never heard her sing, as a Benefactor who followed the God of Music, she undoubtedly possessed a remarkable voice.

The pseudo-god known as 'Wondrous Musical Score' was more commonly referred to as the 'God of Music,' a fact that spoke volumes about Hathaway’s own artistic prowess.

The pair planned to leave before the performance began, but Mr. Nelly, who had momentarily slipped away, suddenly reappeared and handed two tickets to Jenkins.

“These are for a VIP box. Oh, Baron, please don't refuse. The show is about to start, so even if you decline, the tickets will just go to waste.”

He made a fair point, so on the principle of not letting things go to waste, Jenkins offered a polite refusal once before accepting the tickets.

It was only as an usher led them up a sweeping staircase beside the grand hall that Jenkins had a startling realization: he was about to attend the opera with an unmarried young lady, without having formally invited her.

He stroked the well-behaved cat perched on his shoulder and glanced at Hathaway. She wasn't looking at him; her gaze was fixed on the bustling crowd below.

Only for the upper echelons of society was the weekend a true holiday. On Sunday evenings, gentlemen and their ladies would don elegant formalwear to attend the opera—it was the sophisticated way of life for the city's elite.

Hathaway must have spotted a friend among the people filing into the hall below, for she whispered:

“Look, Jenkins, that's Miss Jennifer Lawrence.”

The young woman she indicated was none other than the object of young George Liverpool's persistent advances. Jenkins had only heard her name before this.

Leaning on the banister, Jenkins looked down in the direction Hathaway indicated. He saw a young woman in a blue gown, flanked by Mrs. Lawrence, who wore a gemstone necklace, and Mr. Lawrence, who sported a diamond tie clip.

Miss Lawrence had voluminous, wavy blonde hair, which, combined with her lovely features and delicate makeup, made her quite a stunning young woman.

“Staring at a lady you don't know for so long is quite impolite, you know.”

Hathaway gently reminded him.

“No, I was looking at that...”

Jenkins raised a hand, and as Hathaway followed his gesture, her eyes fell upon a shabbily dressed young man standing not far behind the Lawrence family.

“Is that... George Liverpool?”

Hathaway’s tone was questioning; she had never met Mr. Liverpool.

“Yes. I've seen him before.”

More than once, in fact.

Compared to the other patrons filing into the theater, Mr. Liverpool’s wrinkled suit and worn leather shoes were rather conspicuous. However, admission was by ticket, and since he was properly attired with a tie, suit, and leather shoes, no one barred his entry.

He was clearly out of his element, moving through the crowd with the furtive air of a thief. He kept glancing around nervously, but his gaze always returned to a point beyond the throng of people, fixed on Miss Lawrence.