Rewards & Acting Lessons

Erisia woke up, stretched while yawning, and got out of bed. She walked to the window and pulled up the curtains.

Then the system chimed in her head and said, [Good morning, Erisia. Congratulations! You've completed the tutorial mission (assignment), which was to carry out damage control and mitigate the impact of CloutLeakz's post on your reputation.]

Erisia paused, surprised. "What? There are rewards?"

[I apologize for not informing you, but whenever you complete a mission/task—whether it is compulsory (High Obligation), recommended (Moderate Obligation), or optional (Low to No Obligation)—there are rewards ranging from Premium Rewards and Standard Rewards to Bonus Rewards. Each reward also has tiers depending on how well the mission was completed.]

Her face broke into a smile. "Really? Wow, you're getting cool. So tell me, how did I do? And what are my rewards?"

She hoped it was something related to money because she was going to go broke soon. Erisia only had a part-time job thanks to Sierra's meddling and Mrs. Wrenford's orders, and it had been close to a month since she received her salary—which was almost finished.

If that had only been the case, Erisia would be fine. She could do any part-time job, even if it was tending to cats and dogs, but a day before the Altheorn's birthday party, she had been asked not to come back by her boss because their family was moving and the pet store would be closed down.

So yeah, she needed money.

[You perfectly completed this compulsory mission, so you will be getting a Premium Reward.]

[Premium Rewards contain three items—two for the host and one for the system.]

"Alright, just tell me already."

[These are your rewards:

1. Simulated Career Modules – Learning everything about either acting, singing, or dancing.

  • Introduction to Acting

  • Voice Training Basics

  • Camera-Awareness Module

2. Self-Defense Reflex Boost – Small but significant agility/speed increase in critical moments.

3. (System Reward) Facial Recognition Function – Ability to match faces in images/videos/events with all relevant information and known contacts.]

[The first reward mentioned above depends on which career path you choose to pursue. Then, you will be given a daily simulation class on it.]

Seriously?

The rewards were good. Very good. But… not what she was hoping for.

Just as she sighed and made her way to the bathroom, the system chimed again.

"What now? Something else you forgot to tell me?"

[Yes. Another benefit of perfectly completing a task—especially since this was your first mission—is granting you one of your heartfelt wishes. Which I deduce is money. So, in a few days, you will be getting $10,000. Congratulations once again.]

"What–? Am I… did I hear you right?"

[Yes, you did.]

"Oh my God! You are the fucking best, Echo! You are the best—my favorite in this world! I love you so much! I wish I could kiss you right now!"

[I'm glad you are happy with the rewards. As long as you complete the missions the same way you completed the first one, you will be getting a lot of rewards that you will find to your satisfaction. I will leave you to get ready and have breakfast, after which you have to choose which career you want and start the simulation classes on it.]

"Sure. I already know which to choose anyway." Erisia grinned as she opened the door to the bathroom, entered, and closed it behind her.

⸻

After eating breakfast and chatting with Rita for almost thirty minutes, it was already a couple of minutes past nine.

The system said, [It's time to choose which one you want to pursue among the three: Acting, Singing, or Dancing.]

Erisia locked the door and sat on the couch. "Is there any need to choose? Who builds a career off just dancing in this industry? And do I look like I have some ethereal voice that can melt hearts and win Grammys?"

[So, you choose Acting?]

Erisia leaned back against the couch and nodded. "Yes. So, what's next?"

[Now, we will begin the simulation class. But you need to confirm your choice manually so it can be registered to your information.]

A translucent gray panel materialized in front of her. On it, bold text shimmered softly:

[Confirm Acting as your Career Path in When Spring Comes Again – Erisia Wrenford?]

Erisia sat up straighter, her hand hovering in the air. "Confirm."

The panel glowed white for a second, then faded.

[Choice registered. Career: Acting. Simulation loading… Please wait.]

A faint hum rose in her ears. Then a soft breeze—impossible indoors—brushed past her face. Her surroundings began to blur.

The walls of the hospital room melted into shadows, the couch vanished, and the floor beneath her gave way to something smooth, polished, and cold.

Suddenly—

Erisia was standing in the middle of an expansive casting room.

[Welcome to your first simulation class: Introduction to Acting.]

[This simulation class is divided into two sessions, each lasting 11 hours within the simulation environment. In reality, it will take approximately one hour and a few minutes per session, with a one-hour break in between. Total duration: just over three hours.]

[You will not feel hunger, fatigue, or physical discomfort inside the simulation. However, you are advised to stay mentally present and emotionally engaged. Progress is measured by performance, not time.]

Erisia raised a brow. "Eleven hours… twice? Why is this sounding more like a military drill?"

[Time moves differently here. You will adapt, I assure you.]

The light overhead dimmed briefly. Then, the casting room around her shifted. Chairs slid away into the shadows. The floor elongated. A soft piano note echoed faintly.

[Activity One: Mirror Scene – Silent Exercise.]

A tall, genderless figure stepped out from the edge of the light. It had a neutral, almost mannequin-like appearance, but its movements were graceful—fluid like a dancer and Its face was blank.

[This AI avatar will lead. Your task: mirror its every movement and facial shift in real time.]

"Sounds easy enough," Erisia muttered.

The avatar tilted its head. Erisia followed.

Then it raised its arm slowly, curved it above its head, and twisted its wrist midair like painting a swirl. Erisia mimicked it, trying to match the pace—but her elbow lagged.

[Too stiff. Loosen your shoulders.]

A faint green outline appeared beside her arm, demonstrating the corrected posture.

She tried again, this time flowing more smoothly.

Then came a blink. A subtle eyebrow twitch. A sudden, wide-eyed look of surprise.

Erisia copied whatever it did, until her expressions weren't mimicry anymore—they were real, grounded in reaction rather than imitation. She stopped thinking. She just did.

[Good. Micro-expression sync: 84%. Eye response: delayed by 0.3 seconds. Repeat.]

The exercise continued. Faster. Slower. Abrupt shifts. Languid transitions. Erisia began to sweat—not from exertion, but focus.

After what felt like an hour, the light flickered.

[Activity One complete. Progress: 71%. You have begun unlocking subconscious muscle memory.]

The room blurred again. The avatar vanished.

[Activity Two: Reaction Challenge.]

The casting room dissolved into a black box theater.

A giant screen lowered in front of her.

[You will now watch a series of short, emotionally ambiguous scenes. You may not speak. You must respond authentically using only body language and facial expression. The system will monitor your emotional congruence, latency, and believability.]

The screen flickered to life.

—A child reaching for their mother, only to be ignored.

—A man laughing at a funeral, but his smile is tight and trembling.

—A woman looking into a mirror, wiping away tears, then smiling like she'd won a war.

Each clip barely lasted ten seconds.

Erisia didn't realize she was responding at first. Her jaw clenched at the funeral laugh. Her eyes softened at the child. Her shoulders subtly slumped watching the woman in the mirror.

A soft ping echoed.

[Latency: 0.12 seconds. Facial tension matches situational tone. Eyeline drift: within normal range.]

[You made a wise choice. It seems you have a natural talent for acting, Erisia.]

Erisia shrugged, "No skill is useless when living a life like my previous one."

[Continue.]

Another clip.

This time, it was just a single man sitting on a bench. Doing nothing.

Yet his stillness was a lie—there was rage behind the way his hands barely moved.

Erisia's lips parted slightly. Her brow knit. Her chest lifted—an almost indiscernible inhale. She didn't know why, but she felt it.

[Correct. Emotional empathy engaged.]

Then came a scene with no visible emotion—a neutral face.

Erisia blinked. "I don't feel anything—"

[That's the point. Not every scene tells you what to feel. Your response must remain truthful. Not performative.]

She nodded slowly.

The final scene ended, and the lights dimmed once more.

[Activity Two complete. Emotional believability score: 76%. We detect hesitation rooted in analytical overthinking. Trust your instincts.]

"…Fine," she muttered. "Trusting the gut. Got it."

The breeze returned, this time warmer.

[Activity Three: Stillness Under Pressure.]

The setting transformed again.

This time, Erisia found herself standing at a dinner table in a modern apartment.

Two people sat across from her—an older woman with a cold, judgmental expression, and a younger man glaring daggers.

[Context: You've just been falsely accused of betrayal. The environment is hostile. You may not speak. You must remain grounded.]

The woman knocked a glass over. The crash was loud and harsh.

The man stood, chair scraping harshly.

They circled her. Eyes burning. Yelling insulting words.

The tension prickled across her skin.

Don't move, she told herself.

Her breathing slowed. She locked her spine. One move or twitch and the illusion would break. She had to hold on.

[Hold.]

The man stepped closer—too close.

He sneered. "Pathetic."

Still, she didn't flinch.

[Excellent. Pulse spike minimal. Eye contact maintained. Self-preservation instinct managed.]

The simulation intensified.

A siren blared faintly from somewhere. Lights dimmed. The temperature dropped slightly.

But Erisia stood her ground.

[Activity Three complete. Stillness rating: 82%. You exhibit excellent control under simulated stress.]

[End of Session One.]

Her breath escaped in a quiet gust as the room dissolved again into white light. Her legs gave a slight tremble as the floor beneath her returned to normal.

[You will now exit the simulation for a one-hour break. Rehydration and rest are recommended. Session Two will begin automatically afterward.]

The space shimmered.

And then Erisia was back on the couch in her hospital room.

She stared at her hands, unsure if they were still hers.

"…That was only the first half?"

[Yes.] 

"Oh well, fuck me."

. . . . . 

[Session Two: Simulation Resumed]

The world faded back into focus like someone slowly turning up the saturation on an old film.

Erisia was no longer on her couch. She stood once again in the white-lit casting room—its stark emptiness now familiar.

[Welcome back. Session Two of your simulation training is now beginning.]

[Before continuing with active performance, you will undergo a theory-based learning module.]

A wide whiteboard panel hovered before her, text materializing on its surface.

⸻

[Lesson Segment: What Is Acting?]

[Objective 1: Define what acting really is.]

A calm, gender-neutral voice began to speak. Unlike the system's usual neutral tone, this one was subtly instructional.

["Many people believe acting is pretending. Faking. Lying well. This is incorrect."]

["The great Russian director Konstantin Stanislavski called acting: 'living truthfully under imaginary circumstances.'"]

["His system, later expanded by American teachers like Sanford Meisner, emphasized emotional truth, not theatricality. You are not putting on a mask. You are removing one."]

The panel shifted. A new quote appeared.

"Don't act. Don't show. Just be." – Sanford Meisner

Erisia frowned slightly. "That doesn't sound easy."

⸻

[Lesson Segment: Being in the Moment]

[Objective 2: Learn the concept of "being in the moment."]

The panel displayed a looped video of two actors standing across from each other in silence. One blinked. The other smiled. The first one flinched.

[This is the core of performance: presence. You must stop anticipating the moment and instead live it. No planning. No pre-performance.]

["The moment you begin calculating how you 'should' feel or look—you've lost the moment.]

The video froze. Then reversed. It played again in slow motion, highlighting each micro-reaction.

[You will now perform an engagement calibration. Stand still. Breathe. Do not think ahead.]

Erisia did exactly as it said.