Chapter 29: Interview Preparation
A few slices of honey bread, accompanied by a cup of unsweetened coffee, constituted Janna's entire meal for the day.
“After the increase in Charisma, even the [Voice of the Heavens] talent has improved slightly.”
Beyond enhancements to her appearance, her voice, singing ability, posture, and hair quality—all details Janna might not have noticed on an ordinary day—had all seen noticeable improvements.
Even her behavior, expressions, and smiles had undergone subtle positive corrections in the realm of mysticism due to the boost in Charisma.
Every frown and smile now appeared more noble yet approachable than before.
“These improvements are certainly beneficial for tomorrow's opera audition.”
As one of the most renowned troupes in Turin, the Nightingale Opera Troupe's actors were exceptional in both appearance and performance skills.
Even if some actors didn't conform to contemporary beauty standards, their exceptional singing and outstanding acting skills allowed them to radiate astonishing artistic charm on stage.
This charm was unrelated to looks and stemmed more from the power of emotional depth.
“Among the operas I'm currently practicing, in terms of proficiency, I have a better grasp of the singing techniques in 'Song of the Ocean'... But in terms of storyline, I still prefer 'Bloodshadow Rose.'”
The story of 'Song of the Ocean' was quite similar to 'The Little Mermaid' from her previous life. However, its core leaned more towards celebrating the cross-species love between deep-sea mermaids and royalty, which made it emotionally resonant but hard for Janna to fully immerse herself in.
The reason Janna practiced this piece the most was because large sections of 'Song of the Ocean' featured ethereal chanting melodies, which perfectly aligned with the style of the [Siren Chanting] magic she had mastered.
'Bloodshadow Rose' required more acting, testing not only the singing skills of opera performers but also their acting prowess.
Janna's fondness for this piece stemmed from her belief that the protagonist, "Vanessa," bore a strong resemblance to the main character in 'Mulan' from her previous life.
Both disguised themselves as men and went to the battlefield. However, 'Bloodshadow Rose' focused more on themes of racial grudges and revenge, unlike the grandeur and straightforwardness of 'Mulan.'
“Hopefully, tomorrow's audition will go smoothly.”
Flipping through her notes, Janna was determined to seize this long-prepared opportunity with all her might...
...
The next morning.
Janna, who had risen early, had already completed her vocal warm-ups.
Due to the audition today, she skipped breakfast and only brewed a cup of black coffee after washing up to prevent morning puffiness.
“It should be about time.”
Seeing the mechanical clock on the wall pointing to 7:30, Janna, who was about to head out, slowed her steps.
“It's still early; let's wait a bit longer...”
...
“Tick-tock—tick-tock—”
Watching the minute hand point to twelve, at eight o'clock, Janna donned a new light green wizard robe and left on time.
“Good morning, Miss Janna. You're as diligent as ever, waking up early even on this wonderful public holiday...”
“Good morning, Door Spirit.”
The Door Spirit, who received Janna's response, beamed with joy, his small mustache twitching with delight.
“I... the Door Spirit awaits your early return home. Please be sure to stay safe—”
“Alright.”
Just like in her previous life, Janna's mood became increasingly calm before important exams or interviews.
“The interview is at nine in the morning, still at the Feathered String Tavern.”
Looking at the business card David Berg had given her, she gathered her long hair behind her and silently recited the details on the card.
Janna then quickly walked out of the dormitory, heading towards the edge of White Coral Academy's mist barrier.
“Rustle—rustle—”
Vines shifted, and the mist dissipated.
As a narrow tree path appeared, Janna, holding the mist branch, soon emerged outside the barrier.
“Thank you, Mr. Tree Spirit.”
“You're welcome, apprentice.”
After thanking the Humanoid Willow who guided her, Janna, hearing the sparse insect chirps around her, put away the mist branch, pulled up the large hood of her wizard robe, and walked along the forest path towards the center of Turin City.
“Crunch—crunch—”
Stepping on broken branches, although daylight had long since arrived, due to the enveloping mist, the sunlight filtering into the forest became increasingly sparse as Janna moved away from White Coral Academy's barrier.
“Finally out.”
As she stepped out of the Misty Forest, the bustling sounds of the city surged in with the crowd.
As Janna approached the Feathered String Tavern, the surrounding noise grew louder.
...
“Welcome to the Feathered String Tavern. Do you have an appointment, or are you waiting for someone?”
Entering through the revolving door, Janna was greeted by a tall, fair-skinned young male attendant.
“I'm here for the Nightingale Opera Troupe audition. Here's my card.”
“Oh, a distinguished guest of the Nightingale Opera Troupe... Please follow me to the second floor.”
Taking Janna's card, the attendant bowed his head, avoiding looking at her face under the hood, and quietly led the way.
“The audition for the Nightingale Opera Troupe is in the 'Floral Rendezvous' private room. This is the waiting area.”
Following the attendant's direction, Janna saw that the spacious hall to the right of the private room was already filled with many auditionees.
“What time is it now?”
“It's 8:42, ma'am.”
The waiting area was arranged with five rows of high-backed chairs.
About thirty auditionees were already seated.
There was an equal number of men and women, including middle-aged actors in their forties and fifties.
Young auditionees like Janna, around fourteen or fifteen years old, were fewer than ten.
However, what puzzled Janna was that among the auditionees waiting in the hall, aside from some with outstanding appearances, many looked quite ordinary, and some even had rather peculiar features.
“It seems David Berg often hands out his business cards... and his selection criteria vary widely.”
David Berg, as the deputy director and talent scout of the Nightingale Opera Troupe, focused on finding suitable actors.
Yet, looking at the diverse group of auditionees in the hall, Janna couldn't quite grasp David Berg's selection standards.
“Perhaps I was being superficial... There are so many roles in a script; not all are handsome men and beautiful women. Moreover, for opera actors, singing ability is the most important...”