Somewhat aware of what was happening, I found myself surprised by the absence of a character that should have been part of the Seven Live third generation. This generation was themed around non-human characters, often inspired by fantasy elements like those found in a magical world.

    Among the missing characters was Ramiel, a harpy princess with the unique twist of being unable to sing. Her appearance was closer to that of an angel than a harpy. Honestly, I initially thought she was an angel too.

    Ramiel was exceptionally popular among the third generation of characters. She had a very delicate voice and an excellent sense of broadcasting, quickly rising to the level of what you’d call a “big player” in the industry.

    Despite her concept of not being able to sing, she could sing quite well. Her role-playing was standard, sticking to the basics, but she never contradicted her character''s setting.

    Her main content was communication broadcasts. She was a good listener, and her eloquence made her very popular.

    "......"

    "Joo Seoyeon, what''s wrong?"

    While I had considered the possibility of something happening, the reality was harsh. How could this be?

    I had always denied the thought that it could be true.@@@@

    I glanced at Lee Ji-yeon, who was staring blankly at me. My suspicions began when I attended voice acting school with her. While her normal voice was fine, her voice for “anime” dubbing was a problem. It was a childlike voice that I had heard somewhere before.

    In that voice, she would call out, “Joo Seoyeon?”

    At that point, I might have known but was in denial.

    Why did it have to be Lee Ji-yeon? How could I accept that she was Ramiel, who seemed like an angel? Where had the Ramiel gone, who had earnestly listened to my worries and comforted me?

    ‘Something, something went wrong.’

    There’s a phrase known as the “red pill” moment, referring to the shattering of illusions when you discover a VTuber''s true identity. Honestly, was my illusion shattered? Not really.

    The Lee Ji-yeon in front of me and the Ramiel I knew were two entirely different people. However, aside from that, my favorite VTuber graduated suddenly when I thought I would eventually see her, and it felt like the world was ending.

    ‘I wanted to experience it properly this time.’

    The feelings I had for VTubers in my previous life were of something “unknown.” I felt something inexplicable in those who genuinely embraced fantasies instead of reality. With my lack of normal emotions, that was the only way I could describe it.

    When time allowed, I watched live broadcasts, but most of the time, I had to rely on highlight clips and short snippets.

    ‘So this time, I wanted to experience that “unknown” I couldn’t understand before.’

    I felt somewhat depressed. Some might say it’s not a big deal, but it was an incredibly important issue to me, for various reasons.

    “Joo Seoyeon.”

    "~~~!!"

    Suddenly, an all-too-familiar whisper filled my ear, and I shuddered, nearly falling sideways off the bench. Luckily, it was a bench; otherwise, I might have rolled off a regular chair. I quickly covered my ear with my hand, surprised and flustered, and spoke.

    “W-What are you doing?”

    “You didn’t answer when I called you repeatedly.”

    Hmph, Lee Ji-yeon crossed her arms and frowned, as if displeased with my behavior.

    “You’ve always acted flustered when I use this voice. Is it that strange?”

    “......Uh, no.”

    She seemed to test whether my words were true, her gaze now filled with curiosity, as if she had noticed something.

    Avoiding Ji-yeon''s gaze, I added, "I don''t dislike it."

    I really meant it. It was just that her voice startled me. Everything else had changed, but that voice remained exactly the same.

    ‘I still held on to the possibility that it might be the same voice.’

    But that possibility ended yesterday.

    In this world, Ramiel truly became an angel...

    Though she was technically a harpy.

    "Hmm."

    Ji-yeon examined me up and down, seemingly considering whether to clear her throat and use that voice again. Eventually, she nodded.

    "Alright, that''s not what I was curious about anyway."

    "Curious about?"

    "The play audition. When exactly is it?"

    She even wields a knife.

    ‘Though not a major role, she leaves a strong impression.’

    It was a role with impact. Surely, it was because of this character that I received additional offers for roles.

    ‘It’s a role that doesn’t suit method acting.’

    If I method acted this character, I would undoubtedly feel depressed for days on end. I closed the script and shut my eyes. Slowly exhaling, I engraved the character into my mind. Through the emotions written in the script, I visualized the character of Hong Jeong-hee. I had memorized all the lines.

    Checking the time, I saw there was still a little time before the audition started.

    ‘Let’s practice once.’

    Many people were reciting lines around me anyway.

    So I thought I’d take this chance to revisit the character of Hong Jeong-hee. With that thought, I opened my eyes.

    Aspiring actors and actresses in the audition room frowned when a high school girl entered.

    ‘A high school student?’

    ‘How did she get past the first stage?’

    Her outfit was a school uniform. For auditions, it’s common to dress in a way that reflects your understanding of the character. It’s a good way to visually demonstrate your grasp of the role. But wearing a school uniform?

    Hong Jeong-hee’s age isn’t specified in the script. The only clue is a note about her being “on leave from school.”

    It’s unclear whether she’s a college student or a high school student.

    ‘And her appearance......’

    Long black hair, in stark contrast to her fair skin. Even actors accustomed to beauty couldn’t help but marvel at her looks.

    Even though she was still a high school student, her appearance was that of a fully-fledged actress.

    ‘But acting isn’t just about looks.’

    ‘No matter how pretty you are, the outcome depends on your acting skills.’

    Despite their thoughts, the high school girl, sitting and reading her script, looked like a picture-perfect scene.

    The worn script. At least it showed she had prepared.

    ‘But there’s something familiar about her face, isn’t there?’

    Those watching her felt a strange sense of familiarity. It was as if they had seen her somewhere before.

    Could she be an actress who had already appeared on TV? If she were a former child actor, it wouldn’t be surprising for her to be here.

    ‘With looks like that, there must have been some buzz.’

    For high school students, transitioning from child actor to an adult actor is common. With looks like hers, there was no way she wasn’t already known in this tight-knit world.

    Tap.

    The high school girl abruptly closed the script she was reading.

    Was she done reviewing it? That thought crossed their minds for a moment.

    The girl slowly opened her eyes.

    “......!”

    There wasn’t a dramatic change in atmosphere.

    It was quiet. Her expression was calm, and her face was composed.

    She didn’t seem to be acting, but...

    ‘Is she acting?’

    Actors often have a “base expression.” It’s the expression they use as a foundation when they begin acting. They build emotions and expressions on top of this base expression.

    For seasoned actors, it’s possible to convey emotions and perform with just that base expression.

    ‘No way.’

    Yes, just like now.