Chapter 35: Liji Silks
Charlotte had originally been a noble of the Rose Kingdom.
Due to an unexpected incident during the war, he was captured on the spot by the Blood Clan.
The Blood Clan usually hid in the shadows, making it extremely difficult for humans to locate their hiding places.
Even though the Rose Kingdom made every effort to find him, Charlotte’s whereabouts remained unknown.
During this long and agonizing wait, Charlotte was subjected to relentless inhuman torture.
Because of the natural enmity between races, the Blood Clan imposed the harshest torment upon Charlotte, a noble of the Rose Kingdom.
Extreme pain constantly gnawed away at his will. Yet after enduring endless humiliation and suffering, Charlotte’s once fractured soul fire managed to endure stubbornly.
But what sustained him was not a longing for life—it was hatred that seeped into his very bones!
He hated the human race! He hated the Rose Kingdom that abandoned him!
He hated how, when he was being transformed into a lowborn bloodspawn by the Blood Clan, the royal guards failed to arrive in time to rescue him!
He also hated fate—why had it treated him so unfairly? Why had the Blood Clan not captured someone else?
Just when everyone in the Rose Kingdom believed Charlotte had perished, he returned with force as a newly ascended Bloodspawn Count.
But his return was not to reclaim his old life. He came as a representative of the Blood Clan, leading a horde of dark creatures to mercilessly slaughter the citizens of the Rose Kingdom...
...
From a performance standpoint, this character setting was indeed highly challenging, testing the actor’s ability to portray deep emotional layers.
Furthermore, Charlotte’s entire backstory was presented in lengthy operatic monologues, requiring the performer to deliver with a deep, manic bass voice, thus demanding exceptional breath control and chest resonance.
"This actor looks a bit unfamiliar. He must have just recently joined the Turin Actors’ Guild."
The second performer was a refined-looking middle-aged man, full of charm in his every movement.
"He’s really handsome. I quite like this type."
Hearing Liji Silks' fangirl-like comment beside her, Janna ignored it and instead focused on seriously observing the performance techniques of the upcoming actors.
...
"I think his performance is even better than the Nightingale Troupe’s official Charlotte... Of course, the main reason is still—he’s just too good-looking..."
Janna nodded slightly, seemingly in agreement with the first half of Liji Silks' sentence.
Undeniably, in both appearance and voice, this performer matched Janna’s mental image of Charlotte from Bloodshadow Rose perfectly.
It wasn’t hard to tell from the judges’ expressions that this auditionee’s performance had passed the mark.
"And this is only the second person, performing this brilliantly... I just hope that the actor auditioning for Nachusa later doesn’t end up being this strong a competitor."
At this moment, Liji’s words also reflected the thoughts of all the auditionees present.
Only two performers had gone on stage, yet their standout performances were already making everyone feel immense pressure.
If even stronger competitors appeared later, those with later slots would only feel more and more stressed.
Especially now, for those who had originally planned to audition for the role of “Charlotte,” the second performer’s near-perfect portrayal of the character had shaken their resolve.
...
The auditions progressed quickly afterward. Starting from the third auditionee, the quality of performances dropped significantly.
Some were even interrupted by the judges before five minutes had passed.
Fortunately, most of them were auditioning for minor roles with little screen time, so the competition wasn’t particularly fierce.
As long as their appearance fit the character, they were already halfway to success.
"Next, contestant number nine from Group One, please take the stage."
"Finally my turn... I’m going up now!"
"Good luck!"
Making a cross sign over her chest—a gesture she shouldn’t believe in—Liji Silks offered a sincere prayer in her heart. Then, clutching her registration form, she stepped onto the audition floor, feigning calm.
"You could write the word ‘nervous’ all over her face..."
Watching Liji Silks awkwardly walk onto the stage, Janna couldn’t help but shake her head helplessly.
Compared to Ollie Berry’s composed and confident demeanor, Liji Silks, though also a veteran performer, appeared especially stiff.
But as someone who had once been taught by her, Janna, though embarrassed by Liji’s anxious display, had great confidence in her abilities.
...
"Are you also an apprentice of the Music Department?"
Flipping through Liji Silks’ personal information, Klan Roland revealed a look of interest.
"Yes, Director Klan."
"Can you tell me why you want to audition for Nachusa instead of the leading role, Natasha?"
Noticing Liji Silks’ nervousness, Klan Roland thoughtfully tried to distract her before the actual audition began.
"Because... I think I’m ugly and can’t play Natasha."
"Pfft—"
Hearing Liji Silks’ unexpected answer, David Berg couldn’t help but laugh aloud. When he turned his head, he was met with a glare from Anna Moonshadow.
"Dear Miss Liji, you’re very humorous, but I want to tell you—you’re actually quite cute."
"Th-thank you for your kindness... Miss Anna, I’m your fan. May I ask if I could get your autograph after the audition?"
"Of course, no problem."
Receiving Anna’s response, Liji Silks’ excitement completely drowned out her previous nervousness.
"Miss Liji, may I ask which scene from the play you’ve prepared?"
"Nachusa’s monologue before standing in for Natasha at the wedding."
Hearing Liji Silks’ chosen scene, Shuka Berg, who was responsible for the procedure, clearly hesitated for a moment.
"That’s a very challenging scene. Please begin."
...
Janna, who had been closely observing Liji Silks from the sidelines, was also surprised upon hearing her selection.
"This scene is a full solo act for Nachusa, featuring long high notes while also requiring emotional expression... it’s really hard to perform..."
"La la la—"
Just as Janna worried for Liji, a piercing and resonant soprano note rang out, like a sword burning with fury slicing through the quiet audition hall.
"Not bad at all."
Hearing that opening note, Anna Moonshadow, who had very high standards for vocal performance, immediately offered praise.
"If she’s playing Nachusa, this level of singing is definitely sufficient."
Klan Roland also nodded in agreement, recognizing Liji Silks’ vocal skills.
"And her appearance fits as well... Nachusa is a comic relief character; she doesn’t need to be conventionally beautiful."
David Berg, who always insisted that actors should match their character’s profile, also gave a rare nod of approval.