Amid the blackened stage and rows of empty seats, there was no audience below her—only silence. Soft string music began to play. Adeline stretched onto her toes, lifting her left leg and sweeping it outward. Her arms fluttered wide like the wings of a long-necked swan. The movement was breathtaking, beyond words.
At the same time, her grandmother's shadow kicked upward, wings spread wide.
Seeing that, Adeline's legs began to tremble—but she did not stumble.
"Heh heh… your legs are giving out already? Our bones aren't built the same, you and I."
The grandmother's shadow sneered. Grinding her teeth, Adeline snapped her leg forward in defiance. The black silhouette dissolved into smoke, clouding her vision. The stage transformed into a vast steam-powered city. Buildings of steel plates rose high, bolted tightly to towering lampposts. London—the city she once knew—returned to her after so many years.
"Do you remember?" her grandmother's voice thundered. "This is your birthplace."
Adeline shut her eyes and tried not to listen, spinning in time with the cello.
"I watched you rehearse every single day. Was all of that just for today?" She ignored the taunts.
"Your sister should have been the swan, not you. I chose wrong, letting you take her place. Heh heh… my little Adeline~ You don't have a shred of talent compared to your own family."
"…Hic…"The words pierced her heart. She nearly fell.
Adeline stamped her foot, forcing herself upright. "No!" She shook her head fiercely.
"Hehahaha… little Adeline~ This child of mine hasn't grown up at all. When you were born, the doctors said your brain developed differently. And now I know why, my dear—because you're slow."
That voice—one she knew too well.
"Mother?!" Adeline stood frozen as steam blasted against her face, soaking her skin.
"Ahhh!"
"Delly, it's me." A blackened hand reached out and cupped her face. The strings faded, replaced by a piano.
"Anne…" Adeline collapsed to the floor, hugging her knees. The shadow wrapped its arms around her.
"Do you remember? When you cry, people laugh at you. Keep dancing—don't stop. Show Grandma you can do it."
The shadow pulled her up—and vanished into smoke, just like before.
"Everything about you is fine… except for one thing you still haven't fixed. And you're not ready to face it!" Her grandmother's voice echoed again.
"Then tell me what it is!" Adeline shouted back.
"Shh~ You're still a naïve child. Why hesitate? Dance! Keep dancing! Dance—dance—dance!"
The background shattered into a towering cliff. Adeline balanced on one leg, spinning like a top.
"You haven't forgotten your surname, have you? Callen."
At the sound of it, her head throbbed in time with the piano. "Ah—no, Granny!"
"Scene forty-nine—what did Manuet say? Do you remember? Or have you forgotten everything? Answer me, my dear granddaughter~"
"Obedient. Strong. Humble. I will be a good lady of the house for my sister…" The world spun, her vision blurring.
"Adeline Callen—remember this name! Remember where you came from! Learn the arts while you're still young! Why elevate your sister above yourself? Train harder. Learn more! Carve these words into your skull! Our family will never fall from the stage!!"
Poem: The River Swan
Scene 50: Mother's Grace
Speak now—tell me whom you love.
If lies are found, you'll surely know.
Hearts will shatter, love undone,
Seven generations—women buried, lost in soil.
Lift your foot, tilt your chin—do you defy me so?
You're still a child beneath my sight.
Even now, your mother asks you to listen well,Or bid farewell to me, my child.
Be grateful—know this mother's grace.
Do not chase hatred, lust, or envy.
Learn love—seek wisdom in your books.
Hold your mother close, remember her kindness.