Does it really matter if the characters do or do not experience sorrow and pain? There's no way Battler can actually know. But since he isn't being sat down and told he's watching a fictional story or play, he makes the assumption that he's watching real people get really tortured.
Even if he's wrong, that's the right response to have. Beatrice can't possibly have thought Battler wouldn't have done that, as otherwise she would have said something to clarify. She was intentionally trying to get Battler to think it was real on some level. His emotional response is what she wanted and needed.
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