The three judges had their chins resting on their hands above the table, watching Anano with serious looks. Anano, on the other hand, was reading her part of the script with a relaxed face.
— "These auditions are meant to test the actors' level of improvisation when they are pushed into immediate scenes. This kind of test filters the talents who become the stars of the plays. This is the vision that Hijiro Nanaji has for auditions." — Mortrevick thought, while waiting for Anano to begin her role.
Fourt Deopar speaks in a calm voice to Anano:
— You have 30 more seconds to finish reading and begin.
From afar, observing, Hina asks Yory's opinion:
— It seems like they are looking at her with a lot of intensity, don't you think? What do you think about that?
— I don't think anything. I just hope she shows up already so it can be my turn.
Anano stops reading the script and closes it, placing it back on the table. She stands in front of the judges and takes a deep breath.
Dead silence takes over the entire large room, everyone focused on Anano. A heavy and full-of-expectation tension dominates the atmosphere.
Then, a drop falls to the ground, breaking that entire atmosphere.
A tearful expression appears on Anano. Beautiful tears that mix with her bright blue eyes. The judges are left speechless, just like all the participants there.
Then, with that crying face, she raises a smile, bringing her hand behind her back.
— I know we can even be penalized with death but...
— So... Sir Servant... shall we go until the end?...
— Together?...
That smile filled with sadness, happiness, and anguish entered the minds of all present.
Still in silence, everyone only watched that scene Anano had just done. Then, still in shock, Hijiro Nanaji only thinks:
— "That short scene... scene 17 of As Duas Barreiras... portrayed the moment when Princess Petra Volake called the servant to confront the empire and the Emperor for their love. I didn't know... that this scene could be so..."
— Alive...
In that moment where nothing could be heard, the sound of applause echoed through the room. Everyone turned to see who was making the sound, and at that exact moment Anano turned as well, and her eyes shined as if something had been illuminated inside them.
Yory was clapping for Anano with a smile on his face and says only once, quietly—but he says:
— Well done, Anano.
Hijiro Nanaji also claps together with Yory. Anano looks at the man, who then says:
— Excellent performance, Miss Peleno.
Anano thanks him by bowing to the judges and heads toward Yory. She looks at him and then looks to the other side, then asks:
— You... really liked my performance?...
Yory scratches his head with his left hand and answers coldly:
— It was well above average. A nine or nine and a half would easily be achievable... and your eyes were so alive and beautiful... so it was good, in a way.
Anano turns red, turns her back to Yory and, with an awkward smile, pretending to be tough, quickly replies:
— Hah... as if I would think that comment is a big deal...
— A-and it was a level 10 performance!
Yory, after seeing that behavior of hers, slightly smiles and then thinks:
— It had to be that airhead...
Suddenly, his vision distorts and he almost falls to the ground, covering his mouth.
— Ugh...! What...?
In the back of the room, a gray shadow was watching him from afar. Yory stares, terrified, saying nothing, with a pale face and eyes almost popping out.
Then something whispers in his ear:
— You are not allowed to be happy.
— Do what must be done, Yory.
Hina sees Yory feeling sick and approaches him:
— Yory?! Are you feeling sick?? Did something happen?
Anano turns toward Yory and also tries to help him. Yory stands up with a serious look and only speaks while walking toward the judges:
— Don't worry... I just felt dizzy, but now it's my turn to present myself.
Hina gets worried and asks:
— Are you really okay, Yory?...
Hijiro Nanaji picks another profile sheet on the table and calls:
— Yory Madeira Conceição. Come and present yourself.
Yory walks and stops there, in front of them. The judges observe him.
Hijiro leans in his chair and starts thinking:
— "When I met this boy, his attitude was good... he has a great sense of timing and understands situations well. A typical strategist... let's see how much he can impress..."
Looking at Hijiro, Mortrevick thinks:
— "This boy is a recommendation from Hijiro himself... so there is probably something in him that Hijiro saw and found interesting... if that's the case..."
— "I have high expectations."
Fourt Deopar looks at Yory and asks the director Nanaji:
— Can I choose his lines?
Hijiro looks at Fourt Deopar for a few seconds with a serious look and answers:
— Alright.
Fourt opens the script and flips through the pages. Then, with a slight smile, decides:
— Alright... you will do Scene 18.
Hijiro quickly looks at the writer, who turns to the director and asks:
— What is it? Can't I?
Hijiro just turns and answers seriously:
— It's fine. Just give him the script.
When Yory takes the script, he starts reading the scene with a serious face.
— "That laugh he gave makes sense now... this scene is the part where the servant stands before the two princesses and must choose between Princess Anastacia and Princess Petra."
— "But this part itself... I need to squeeze emotions and choose only one... Vivian. That's the problem... I can't cry... I need to fix this somehow..."
— Time to read is over. You may begin your presentation.
Says Mortrevick, with arms crossed.
Yory closes his eyes and breathes deeply. When he opens them again, a gray shadow was behind the judges, staring at him.
Then he thinks one last time, gripping the script:
— "Acting is not happiness… nor feelings. Acting is lying to the audience, making it seem real… in this case…"
— "I am the best."
Hijiro Nanaji leans toward the table and says:
— You may begin, Yory Madeira Conceição.
Yory's face changes instantly. With an expression of pure hatred, he looks at the shadow behind the judges, then looks down and speaks:
— Before I start... please don't call me that.
Hijiro looks at him seriously and asks:
— "That"? What?
With a blank and serious look, Yory replies:
— Conceição... don't call me that. Just call me Yory Madeira.
Hijiro stays silent and then responds:
— Alright, Yory Madeira. You may begin.
The shadow disappears and appears near a chair, sitting with crossed legs while watching Yory with a gray and sinister aura.
Five seconds pass.
Yory breathes deeply again and starts.
With a trembling voice full of fear and a shaking body:
— Princesses... I... I can't...
— I can't choose one... it breaks my heart, because...
He steps forward with firm feet on the ground.
— I love both of you! Even being a mere servant... I love you both too much to choose only one...
— But... if this is really what you want...
He pauses and looks down, grabbing his shirt collar.
— If I must choose... I will choose the option that would make both of you happy.
He slowly walks to the right, raises his hand and slightly bows, calmly speaking with closed eyes:
— Princess Vivian... please come with me...
But by coincidence, the direction he faces is pointing directly at Anano.
At that moment, her eyes shine.
She feels something tighten in her chest.
— "Me...?"
Yory turns back to the judges, who remain silent, only analyzing.
The writer gives a slight laugh and breaks the tension:
— I'll be honest with you. You broke my expectations. I didn't believe in you... I gave you the hardest part because the moment I saw your face I already understood something about you. Not trying to criticize you or anything... it's obvious that, in a way... there is something about your acting that is very interesting.
Yory bows slightly and thanks:
— Thank you for the report.
Mortrevick and Hijiro remain silent. Then they look at each other, and Mortrevick speaks to Yory:
— Alright, Yory. You've shown enough. You may leave now.
He leaves and goes back to where he was sitting.
Mortrevick watches him leave and thinks:
— "That same acting... same movements... same way of speaking... he really is that man's exact copy. I can't believe it..."
Hijiro takes his water bottle and asks:
— So... wasn't that quite a find?
Mortrevick lets out a laugh, looking sideways at Hijiro, and replies while watching the boy sit near a wall:
— Truly, Director Hijiro... you found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Yory sits near the wall, looking at the ground. Then a shoe appears in his vision. He looks up.
— Your performance was amazing! Want some water? I'm sure you're thirsty after that show.
Yory looks up. The shine of Hina's hair stands out under the light. He reaches out and takes the bottle from her hand, and she sits beside him.
He watches her sit without saying anything or showing much expression. Then she asks:
— Hm? Is there something on my hair?
Yory turns forward, starts drinking calmly, and replies:
— It was nothing.
He watches other people performing and looks around before asking:
— Where is Anano?
Hina looks at him and replies:
— That red-haired girl? She said she needed to go to the bathroom.
— I see...
In the bathroom, Anano looks at the mirror with an angry face, gripping the sink tightly.
In her reflection, slightly blurred, she says to herself:
— I can't lose... not to those two...
— I won't lose!