In the first scene, the actors without lines stepped aside, leaving enough space in the classroom.
The little maid played by Luna closely followed behind Rossweise. The mother and daughter circled once in the middle of the classroom.
"Your Highness the Princess, that detestable enemy knight is locked in the cell ahead. We are about to interrogate him," Luna read the script line by line with seriousness.
'Not bad, my obedient daughter's line delivery is quite good, and her tone is very natural.'
Especially the phrase "detestable enemy knight", her articulation was clear, emotions full, and there wasn't a trace of pity for her old father.
And the term "Your Highness the Princess" made Rossweise feel over a hundred years younger.
Before becoming a queen, wasn't she also once a little princess cherished in someone's hands?
Pulling her thoughts back, Rossweise also began to read her lines, "Very well. But before that, let me speak with the knight alone, to see if I can extract any useful intelligence."
"Yes, Your Highness the Princess, please be careful."
"Mm, I will."
Luna stepped aside, while Rossweise held the script and walked forward.
At this time, Leon was also set up as the captured knight.
Although he hadn't started delivering lines, he had already portrayed the unyieldingness, humiliation, and stubbornness after being captured with vivid precision, lifelike and thorough.
'Damn, General Leon, your portrayal of a prisoner is practiced to the point it makes one's heart ache.'
'May I ask what the secret is? (crossed out)'
Rossweise looked at his appearance, holding back laughter.
She stepped forward, stood in front of Leon, and began reading her lines, "Oh, dear prisoner, you are better looking than I expected. What a pity you're a bit disheveled now."
After saying this, Rossweise frowned slightly.
'Why does this line feel a bit odd...', She glanced over at Noah and Helena.
Since neither the director nor the scriptwriter called for a stop, she couldn't stop either and could only continue acting.
But before she could speak again, Helena said,
"Wait a moment, Aunt Rossweise."
"What is it?"
"Mm... I didn't think there was a problem when writing this line. But now that it's being performed, it feels a bit inappropriate," Helena held the script and analyzed logically, "The princess in our play is a very competent and proud person. Everything is under her control. This also sets the stage for her unexpected love for the enemy knight later, creating a contrast and a plot twist."
"So now, the her who controls everything shouldn't say something like 'better looking than I expected'... it needs to be revised," Saying that, Helena looked up at Claudia with a slightly pleading gaze.
"Your analysis is correct, Helena. So how should it be modified?", Claudia asked.
"Um...", Little Sea Dragon Girl scratched her temple with difficulty, momentarily at a loss.
She stared at the script covered in revision marks, not knowing how to use one line to portray the princess's character.
"I have a suggestion," Suddenly, Rossweise spoke.
Helena looked up, "Auntie, please go ahead."
Rossweise put down the script, slowly turned her head to look at Leon, then gently hooked his chin with her finger.
She met Leon's black eyes, her gaze flowing, breath fragrant like orchids, "A resolute and handsome man indeed. That scar is simply the perfect adornment to this face."
Her voice was charming but not flirtatious, her expression contemptuous yet tinged with pride.
It very much matched Helena's idea of the female lead in her script.
"Yes! That's the feeling! Auntie, you're amazing!", Little Sea Dragon Girl exclaimed excitedly.
'Haha, of course it's amazing. That was the first line Auntie said to your Uncle back in the day.'
Meanwhile, Claudia also revealed a look of "so that's how it is."
But everyone's attention was on the male and female leads, and no one noticed her expression.
"But... although the line is great, it still feels lacking... in conflict?", At this time, Claudia reminded, "Lines alone can indeed weaken the sense of conflict. You can try using body language to reinforce the tension between characters."
With a professional's reminder, Helena suddenly realized.
She and Noah brainstormed several actions on the spot.
But none of them achieved the effect they wanted.
In their desperation, they heard Rossweise say again, "Regarding body language, Auntie has a good suggestion too."
Then, Rossweise raised her tail and slowly coiled it around Leon's neck.
"Wow~ Auntie, you've grasped the female lead's character after just one look at the script!", Helena praised.
'That's not only your female lead's character, that was Auntie's character back then too.'
"Mother dragon... this is just acting, no need to be so realistic..."
"For the children's artistic pursuit, bear with it, husband."
"...You win!"
Though she said so, Rossweise still controlled the strength of her tail.
No need to truly replicate the "glorious feat" from back then one-to-one.
Next, the couple continued with their lines.
With the rehearsal progressing, the script was revised multiple times, becoming more complete, and the lines more fitting to the plot and characters.
By midday, they had rehearsed up to the scene where the male and female leads develop feelings, but the male lead must return to his homeland.
At lunch, Helena repeatedly praised the couple's acting.
"Uncle, Auntie, you really brought to life what I imagined for the characters. The feeling is spot on! Full marks for acting~"
The couple glanced at each other.
'Hmph, baby, Uncle and Auntie will teach you a phrase:'
'Life is like a play. Without acting skills, it's all just memories.'
———
The entire day's rehearsal went smoothly.
Moreover, whenever scenes involved the emotional development of the main couple, Leon and Rossweise could portray them vividly with their skilled "acting."
Like: "Though we claim we don't love each other, we'd give our lives for one another."
Or: "Today this affection, you better show it, like it or not."
Helena was very curious about the couple's superb acting.
Because, according to Noah, Aunt Rossweise was a workaholic who spent most of her time dealing with internal clan affairs and had no spare time to study acting;
While Uncle Leon was a warrior-dad with maxed-out stats in all aspects, a hexagonal powerhouse, skilled in all combat arts, magic, and physical techniques, but unfortunately, acting wasn't among them.
Yet this couple could vividly portray the awkward yet loving dynamic of the main leads.
'What's going on here?'
A young dragon girl from a cocoon-nurtured family pondered in confusion.
Of course, the rehearsal process wasn't entirely smooth sailing.
Some scenes were... strange.
Especially the scenes between Leon and Claudia.
According to the script, Claudia was Leon's mother queen. After discovering her only son had fallen for the enemy princess, this strict queen vehemently opposed the relationship.
She became a major obstacle in the otherwise smooth romantic path of the main couple.
But in the end, the male lead's mother queen came around and let her son bravely pursue love, leading to a happy ending.
It didn't sound strange. But that's the problem, it only sounded not strange.
Actually performing it... felt very strange.
"Mr. Casmodeous, clearly you have great line delivery skills. Why can't you say this line 'Mother Queen'?", the person involved asked.
"Uncle Leon, you need to say 'Mother Queen,' not 'Mom,'" scriptwriter Helena corrected seriously.
"No, no, Dad, you need to show reverence, not look like you're visiting relatives back home," Director Noah pursued detail as always.
"Husband, compared to a rebellious son bravely chasing love, you're better suited to play a prisoner," the Queen chimed in with the perfect jab.
"Sis, how about you play the knight, and Luna plays the princess awakened by your kiss."
This was a sis-con with a hidden agenda from the cast.
What?
Where's Little Light?
She was watching the show on the sidelines.
The scene was already funny enough; no need for her to add fuel to the fire.
General Leon never dreamed that one day he would have to call a dragon "Mom."
Generally speaking, Leon had three "No-Calls" when it came to "Mom": First, biological mom, he didn't call.
Because he grew up in an orphanage, never saw his birth mother, even if he wanted to, there was no one to call;
Second, plain-looking moms, he didn't call.
Because (he believed) a woman who could give birth to a man as handsome as him must be a peerless beauty;
Third, ones with tails, that breathe fire, and live for centuries, he didn't call.
That's reversing the order of heaven, betraying his ancestors. Besides, having a dragon wife was enough, Leon didn't want a dragon mom too.
In most cases, it was dragons calling out "Mom" when they saw Leon.
For example:
"Damn! Black armor again! Retreat, brothers!"
"Goddamn! The black armor is still chasing me!"
Or:
"Leon, you damn... ease up! You're so rough, I swear you're starving!"
But lines like these only appeared in specific situations, and only Rossweise would say them.
Anyway, asking Leon to call Claudia "Mother Queen" was truly awkward.
"It's fine, it's just the first rehearsal, maybe he's still adjusting," In the end, Claudia helped smooth things over for Leon, "Maybe he'll get used to it with time. Don't we still have a month?"
Helena nodded, "Aside from the scenes between Mom and Uncle Leon, everything else went smoothly. Let's focus on practicing this part tomorrow."
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