Chapter 17: Nightingale Opera Troupe
“Senior David, are you calling me?”
As the members of the White Coral Club gradually departed, the once lively private room slowly quieted down.
Janna, who had deliberately stayed until the end, watched as David Berg approached. Her previously composed expression gradually gave way to a confident smile.
“Of course. I've been waiting all evening and finally found a free moment.”
Hearing his words, Janna, who had already guessed his intentions, merely offered a polite smile and continued to quietly observe David Berg, waiting for him to continue.
Seeing this, David Berg, realizing his intentions had been seen through, didn't waste any more words. He directly took out a white business card from his pocket and handed it to Janna.
“Allow me to reintroduce myself: David Berg, deputy director and talent scout of the Nightingale Opera Troupe.”
Taking the business card from David Berg, Janna saw that the front featured a gold-embossed nightingale, while the back displayed David Berg's name and title.
“With my professional intuition, I can confidently say that Miss Janna is the actress the Nightingale Opera Troupe has been searching for.”
Carefully putting away David Berg's business card, Janna's tone became serious upon hearing his sincere invitation.
“Senior David, thank you for your appreciation. However, I have no experience in opera performance...”
“That's alright. This invitation is merely for a simple audition. Although there will be assessments related to professionalism and acting skills, as someone personally scouted by me, you don't need to be too nervous.”
Upon hearing this, Janna pondered for a moment before nodding decisively.
“Thank you, Senior. I will do my best to try.”
Originally intending to persuade her further, David Berg's smile grew even brighter upon hearing Janna agree so readily.
“Next Saturday at 9 a.m., at this very location, the Nightingale Opera Troupe will hold its first round of auditions for the year. Please make sure to attend.”
“Alright, I've noted it. Thank you for your efforts.”
“It's just part of my job... Besides, I have high hopes for you, so it's only natural to put in the effort.”
Having had a pleasant conversation and achieved his goal, David Berg stood up, ready to leave.
“It's indeed getting late. Miss Janna, let's meet again next Saturday. I hope to hear good news from you then.”
“No problem. See you next week.”
The two walked together to the glass revolving door on the first floor. David Berg, already feeling sleepy, yawned and politely bid Janna farewell.
Only after his figure gradually disappeared into the night did Janna, who had been watching him leave, take out the business card from the inner pocket of her wizard robe and examine it carefully.
“What a... pleasant surprise.”
Before coming to the White Ballet Shoes Club, Janna had conducted some research on the organization, but the information she had was limited.
However, she could confirm that the White Ballet Shoes Club's network was, up to this point, the highest echelon she could access.
In addition to outstanding apprentices from Turin's prestigious families, there were many wizard apprentices who, despite not coming from such backgrounds, had achieved significant accomplishments through their own talent and effort.
Take David Berg, for example—a third tier wizard apprentice with an A tier "Runes" talent in the mysterious arts. He was just one step away from becoming a full-fledged wizard.
Unlike other apprentices stuck at the bottleneck of spiritual power, David Berg's spiritual power had long met the requirements for promotion; he only lacked the accumulation of wizard ecology.
During the dinner, merely from David Berg's occasional remarks and his continuous "attention" towards her, Janna had roughly guessed his intentions.
Therefore, the conversation after the dinner was within Janna's expectations. What she hadn't anticipated was how quickly the benefits of networking would materialize.
“The income of a popular actor in the Nightingale Opera Troupe, while not comparable to Turin's top alchemists, is significantly higher than that of a pharmacist. Moreover...”
At White Coral Academy, courses in alchemy and pharmacy were areas that only third tier apprentices could delve into. To excel in these subjects, substantial initial investment was unavoidable.
Not to mention the alchemy studies that could burn through Gold Surrel, even pharmacy required considerable time and effort before one could start earning money.
Especially for an apprentice like Janna, who lacked both funds and inheritance, relying on alchemy and pharmacy to make a fortune was extremely challenging.
The return on investment in the short term wouldn't be proportional to the initial costs.
“Furthermore, these two courses can't be concretized into skills, so I can't use the system's point allocation method to quickly master them... I have to learn them the hard way.”
With a B tier Plant Affinity talent, Janna believed she would have an advantage in pharmacy. But this advantage could only be realized after she earned her first pot of gold and had the money to enroll in courses.
“It's time to head back.”
Putting away the business card, she looked up at the starry sky.
After a brief moment of distraction, Janna pulled up the hood of her wizard robe and disappeared into the bustling nightscape of Turin.
...
“Are you sure you want to use Gold Surrel to pay for academic credits? There's a premium on that.”
“I'm sure.”
In the private study room, looking at the serene employer before her, Liji Silks nodded.
“Alright, let me introduce myself. I'm Liji Silks, a second tier apprentice in the music department.”
“Hello, Senior Liji. I'm Janna Roland. I'll be counting on you for this task.”
“So you're Janna Roland...”
Upon hearing the employer's name, Liji Silks's freckled round face showed a surprised expression.
“You do look just like the rumors say... But I always thought you were blonde.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because I think blonde hair looks nice.”
Looking at Liji Silks's somewhat frizzy red curls, Janna nodded thoughtfully.
“According to the task sheet, Miss Janna wants to learn the opera pieces 'Blood Shadow Rose,' 'Song of the Ocean,' and 'Sparrow,' correct?”
“Yes.”
After confirming, Liji Silks put away the task sheet and looked up at Janna with a hint of confusion.
“These are some of the most popular pieces from the Nightingale Opera Troupe. Are you an actress in the troupe? But I've seen every performance of the Nightingale Opera Troupe, and I've never seen you... Oh, right, you're a fan of the Nightingale Opera Troupe, aren't you?”
Liji Silks, talking to herself, noticed that Janna maintained a silent smile and awkwardly coughed, skipping over the previous topic.
“These three pieces are quite challenging and demand a lot from your vocal range. Before we start learning, I need to assess your vocal capabilities...”