Chapter 89: Quest Reward
【Today's Quest: Complete a wizard duel and achieve victory (Completed);
Quest Reward: 100 Talent EXP, 500 Skill EXP, Special Character Talent "Icy Skin and Jade Bones".】
After habitually allocating the Talent EXP to the [Soul Projection] talent, Janna's gaze naturally shifted to the special character talent reward.
"Icy Skin and Jade Bones? Is this cumulative with the previously rewarded Fair Skin?"
Janna was no longer surprised by character talent rewards that enhanced appearance without boosting combat prowess.
Counting up to now, including today's reward, she had received six character talents from the system: [Exceptional Memory], [Muscle Control], [Fair Skin], [Voice of the Heavens], [Delayed Aging], and the newly added [Icy Skin and Jade Bones].
Among them, [Exceptional Memory], [Muscle Control], [Voice of the Heavens], and [Delayed Aging] were the most satisfying and practical to Janna. [Fair Skin], aside from improving her complexion and removing inconspicuous scars, seemed to offer no combat benefits.
As for [Icy Skin and Jade Bones]...
Rolling up her sleeve, she observed her skin, now more lustrous than before. A peculiar expression crossed Janna's face.
"My skin feels cooler... and my bones? If they're jade-like, does that mean they've become whiter and harder?"
Setting aside such absurd yet somewhat plausible thoughts, the exhausted Janna closed the quest panel and resumed her meditative state.
"Inhale—exhale—inhale—exhale—"
With steady breaths, Janna quickly entered a deep meditative state.
As her breathing intervals lengthened, green light particles once again enveloped her.
With their increasing number, under the soft glow, Janna, sitting cross-legged on the bed, resembled a jade figurine—radiant and glossy, like the most exquisite white porcelain artwork, captivatingly beautiful.
With the daily rigorous class schedule and nearly two hours of paid overtime at the Nightingale Opera Troupe each evening, Janna had been operating under high pressure for the past few weeks.
Even on Saturday evenings after work, she had to spare a few hours to attend meetings of the White Ballet Shoes Club.
Additionally, she had agreed to join several senior apprentices in future secret realm explorations.
Despite the fatigue, Janna thoroughly enjoyed this busy and fulfilling life.
While quietly enhancing her wizarding abilities, Janna earned an extra 160 Gold Surrel through the recent overtime, on top of her fixed monthly salary of 500 Gold Surrel.
This meant that, excluding the 300 Gold Surrel already paid in advance, Janna would soon receive the remaining salary and overtime pay—totaling 360 Gold Surrel—on the 20th.
"Cut!"
Just as Janna was sitting beside the mirror in the rehearsal hall on the basement level of the Nightingale Opera Troupe, lost in thought, Klan Roland's somewhat irritable voice snapped her back to reality.
"Are you a fool? Tomorrow is the Saturday performance, and you're still missing your marks? If you can't do it, then leave!"
As Klan Roland's harsh reprimand echoed through the rehearsal hall, Liji Silks, who hadn't yet had her turn to rehearse, couldn't help but tug on Janna's arm and whisper in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"He's usually so gentle, but he becomes especially fierce when directing. Sometimes I wonder if he has a split personality."
Having been scolded quite a bit recently, Liji Silks couldn't help but empathize as she watched Lucy, a senior actress who joined at the same time, being harshly criticized by Klan Roland.
"If you don't want to be scolded, make sure not to repeat the same mistake. If it's just a one-time slip, Director Klan won't criticize you."
"That's easy for you to say. You're not like me—I don't forget things after seeing them once. Besides, I have my pride too..."
"Liji, come here for a moment!"
As Liji Silks quietly complained, Klan Roland's stern voice suddenly called out, making her instinctively straighten up and walk over to him, slightly flustered.
"Demonstrate the positioning for these points to Lucy."
"Oh—that's what it's about. Sure, no problem, Director."
Realizing that Klan Roland wasn't going to criticize her, Liji Silks' tense expression relaxed slightly. However, she kept her back straight, not daring to slack off, fearing that Klan Roland might criticize her posture.
"Janna, you come over too."
Klan Roland's previously irritable tone softened when addressing Janna. Even his stern expression became gentler.
"I've made some changes here. During the rehearsal, perform according to this mood."
"Understood, no problem."
Unlike Liji Silks, who was frequently scolded, or other seasoned actors who still received criticism despite their experience, Janna had never been reprimanded since the first rehearsal.
Instead, she was repeatedly praised and used as a model by Klan Roland.
Even Leon Flare, who played the antagonist Charlotte with superb acting skills, didn't receive such treatment.
However, no one present found Janna's preferential treatment inappropriate.
Whether it was her singing, movements, acting, or adapting to Klan Roland's spontaneous script changes, Janna could flawlessly replicate his vision and pass in one go.
With such talent, strength, and exceptional beauty, even the veteran actors who initially had reservations about this "newcomer" began to genuinely admire her after observing and working with her for over half a month.
No, she was a genius actress!
"Lucy, follow the positioning Liji just demonstrated and perform again. If you make another mistake, there's no need for you to continue. We'll have another actor take your place for the weekend performance!"
Facing the awkward-looking Liji Silks, Lucy, who was over thirty, took a deep breath, suppressed her grievances, and nodded.
She then began performing earnestly, following Liji Silks' demonstration.