Improvisation (2)

"What?! No one told us about this!"

"Isn't this unfair?!"

"Weren't we supposed to just act out a script—"

The uproar spread like wildfire, but that flame of confusion was snuffed out by the woman in glasses.

"SILENCE!!" Her voice cracked through the hall like a whip, forcing everyone into uneasy silence.

"If you think we're being unfair, then you may leave. I don't have time to deal with unwilling brats."

Her tone was sharp, cold enough to freeze the murmurs.

"Form groups of two and come up to the stage with your partner when I call either one of your names." She adjusted her glasses before strolling back to the chair beside the sleepy man and sitting down.

"Hurry up. Unless you want to continue this tomorrow," she added casually, almost like a threat.

The room came alive again with chatter as everyone scrambled to find a partner.

(Improv. Acting without a script or rehearsal. So that’s the entrance exam? Improvisation with someone I’ve never met?)

I let out a brief sigh. It sounded simple, but the wrong prompt could turn this into a nightmare.

(And then there’s the bigger problem, a partner. Who should I pick when I don’t know anyone? Maybe the red-haired girl next to me?)

I turned to her, only to find her already staring at me. We probably had the same thought.

"I really don't want to team up with someone with mean thoughts, but I guess it can't be helped." She stuck out her hand without hesitation. "My name is Stella Valentine. Yours?"

I clasped her hand. "Mira."

"You're a commoner..." she said as we shook.

"So? Is there a problem with me being a commoner?" I asked, my tone sharper than I intended.

She shook her head lightly. "Just surprised. You look more like a noble than some of the nobles here." Letting go of my hand, she smiled faintly.

(…She probably meant that as a compliment. I think.)

"Thanks, I guess..."

Before I go further, let me explain something: in this world, only nobles and those above can have surnames. Commoners don’t. That’s why it’s easy to tell someone’s status instantly.

After pairing up, we turned back to the stage. Glasses Woman finally spoke, though I still wondered why she hadn’t introduced herself yet.

"I suppose you've all formed your teams by now." She flipped through a document in her hands. "I'll call the first name."

"Mira."

My heart skipped a beat, then another. First? Already?

"Y-Yes!" My voice came out louder than intended, echoing awkwardly across the hall.

Nervous. So nervous. My first time performing, and in front of a crowd, no less. And then the whispers reached me as Stella and I walked toward the stage.

"A commoner... tsk."

"Wow, he's beautiful."

"Look, it's a Valentine. Such a shame about her parents..."

Each word dug into me like pins, making my pulse race faster. I tried to ignore them, unlike Stella, who suddenly stopped and confronted the last girl.

"Hey. Why don't you keep your nose out of other people's business?" Stella's voice was sharp as a blade, her frown even sharper.

"N-No, I didn't—" the girl stammered, hands waving frantically, but Stella cut her off.

"You know what? I hate people like you the most. Why don't you just die—"

"Stella! What are you doing?!" I whispered, almost shouting.

What was she thinking?! This moment could decide our future, and she was starting a fight?!

"If you have something to say, say it to my face..." She added.

I grabbed her hand and practically dragged her away. She looked stunned for a second, then sighed and went along with it. Thanks to her, I didn’t even have time to feel nervous anymore.

Finally, we stepped onto the stage. Every gaze turned toward us, sharp and heavy, like hawks ready to strike.

"Mira," the woman in glasses said, studying me with keen eyes. "Why do you cover the right side of your face with your hair? If you have a scar, I'm afraid you won't be able to become a Magi—"

"N-No! It's not that... It’s just..."

I don’t like the color of my left eye. It reminds me of something... something from my previous life. But I can’t tell her that.

"Then tie your hair with this." She handed me a red hairpin from her pocket. "A Magi's appearance and facial expressions are the first things people notice."

I hesitated, my hands trembling as I accepted the pin.

(Haa... now I’m even more nervous. I already knew appearance mattered, I just wanted to try my luck. Guess betting isn’t for me.)

Closing my eyes, I brushed back my hair and secured it with the pin. When I opened them, Glasses Woman's eyes widened for just a heartbeat before returning to normal.

"That’s much better. Your appearance already gives you full points. Now you just have to show me your acting ability." She turned her attention to Stella.

I let out a nervous laugh. No pressure, right?

"And you, Stella Valentine. You’re beautiful too, but far too blunt. I overheard your little 'conversation' earlier. What if that was one of your fans? Learn to control your emotions."

The man next to her finally spoke, after yawning, of course.

"Missy, don’t listen to Goldie Head," he said with a smirk. "You should’ve cursed her out even harder. That’s what I do to nosy fans."

Goldie Head? Does he call her that because of her gold-blonde hair? And what is this guy teaching kids?! Unreliable Adult #2—Ula for short. If you’re wondering who #1 is... well, take a guess.

The woman in glasses sighed in irritation. "Marcus, don’t teach children to act as childish as you." Then her voice turned icy. "And stop calling me by that name. You know what will happen if you don’t, right?"

Marcus raised his hands in mock surrender, then yawned again before glancing at us with a chuckle.

Glasses Woman cleared her throat. "Excuse Marcus's foolish comment. Here’s your prompt."

My heart pounded like a war drum.

"I want you to act out a scene about two people trying to poison each other with a single cup of poison. Both add poison to it, and if even one of you manage to persuade the other to drink it, you'll pass."

...Huh? What does that even mean?!