Chapter 100: Beatrice's Metamorphosis XIII

The competition between Echelon Dominion and Limelight Collective was set.

It wasn't just about their rivalry, it was a test of their skills, teamwork, and ability to hold the audience's attention.

Medea versus Hedda Gabler.

Beatrice Falcon against Samantha Sinclair.

But this wasn't just about the lead roles. Everyone involved, from the actors to the technical team, had to give their best.

The rules were simple but tough.

The audience alone would decide the winner.

There were no judges, no special panels—just the reactions of the people watching. Each person could cast one vote, choosing the play that moved them the most.

No promotions, no outside influence. Only the performance on stage mattered.

It wasn't just about acting.

Could they bring their characters to life? Could the set, lighting, and sound create the perfect atmosphere? Would the audience walk away feeling something powerful?

These were the things that would determine the winner.

"Are you nervous?" Victor asked Beatrice.

The first to perform was Limelight Collective.

It was in the morning, while Echelon Dominion would perform in the afternoon.

"A little, but that's normal," Beatrice replied.

"Well, do you think you can watch?" he asked again.

The five core members, along with Beatrice, came to watch Limelight Collective's performance.

"I can. It's still a good study material. I mean, there's more tension now compared to past performances."

Lawrence chuckled, "That's a nice way of thinking."

Rowan and Renee nodded in agreement.

"What's wrong?" Lawrence noticed Julian looking somewhere else.

"I just thought I saw some countrymen of Beatrice," he replied, but he could no longer see them.

"Isn't that normal?" Renee commented.

There were a lot of different people attending these performances.

Julian shrugged, "I suppose."

Still, he had a feeling those people were looking at them in particular. He chose to push the thought to the back of his mind as they headed inside for the beginning of the performance.

"She's blending in quite splendidly," Kathrine said emotionally.

"What are you, her mother?" Justin replied.

"Come on, you two. Don't start bickering here too," Shawn shook his head.

"I'm amazed you were able to get tickets," Gabriel said to Kenneth.

"Trust me, if I hadn't tried to inquire, we wouldn't have been able to watch. Good thing I asked early. Who would have thought there would be a competition during her first performance in that group?" Kenneth sighed.

Good thing he followed his instinct and looked into it.

That was why he also bought tickets for the first performance. It was a good experience for him as an aspiring actor as well.

"Come on, we need to enter now."

All of them turned to Harmony.

To be honest, they were skeptical about her coming, but then she messaged them, agreeing to go two days before their departure.

Kenneth had bought a ticket for her just in case. Whether she agreed or not, at least he was prepared.

"You look like you didn't sleep again," Gabriel said to her as they started walking to the entrance.

"To join you, I had to do a lot," Harmony didn't hide it.

Since Gabriel would just nag, there was no point in lying.

"Did you sleep last night?" Shawn asked this time.

After their train interaction, Harmony was no longer as evasive toward him as before.

"I did, but jet lag is difficult."

Maybe because she had been so busy making way for this almost week-long departure, in the end, she couldn't sleep the night before.

"Will you be fine?" Kathrine asked worriedly.

"It's fine. I can still watch both shows, but I might get sleepy later in the afternoon."

Ever since they started the group chat, she conversed with them more than before.

"We won't be out too late. After meeting with her and having dinner, we can return to the hotel and sleep for the night. We can just have fun tomorrow," Kenneth then said.

"That's right. What's important is that no one gets sick so we can all enjoy," Justin added.

Harmony looked at them before smiling slightly.

The group smiled back.

Over time, Harmony showed more and more of her emotions. She was no longer as indifferent toward them as before. But just like always, she tended to blend into the crowd.

Just like now, she was pushed as they got closer inside because of her presence.

"Careful."

Shawn reached out, wrapping his arm around her waist.

He frowned slightly when he felt how thin she was.

It felt like she had become thinner than she looked.

"Have you been eating well?" he couldn't help but ask as he helped her steady herself.

"It's a troublesome time. There's nothing I can do about it."

She still answered, but her answer was vague.

Nevertheless, he knew probing more would just dampen her mood, so he let it go for now.

Soon, they were seated, a few rows away from where Beatrice and her group were.

They decided not to show themselves in front of her, lest it caused her any disturbance.

They would just congratulate her once the shows were over. Then, they could celebrate for the next few days.

Of course, all of them wished that Beatrice's group would win. Kathrine had told the guys that Beatrice had been expelled from the group her current competitors belonged to.

So, even if the two groups weren't openly hostile toward each other, their group of friends felt differently.

They wanted Beatrice's group to win and for the other group to realize just who they had expelled.

Unbeknownst to them, this thought was actually in line with Gideon's own feelings.

Soon, the show had started.