Chapter 381: What Happens Next?
Once the word " cut " was said by Harry, the people could not hold back as they were excited.
"That was amazing!"
"That was the best scene yet!"
"I knew Eren would win, but I still felt nervous!"
The extras, staff, and even some of the Grey Tower assistants began speaking all at once. The courtyard, which had been silent because of the tension of the duel, suddenly became noisy.
Mireya lowered her hands and let out a long breath. Creating the illusion for Argent Sky Dragon and Demon Lord of the Broken Crown had taken more focus than she expected, especially when the two ace cards clashed.
Still, despite the tiredness, her eyes were shining.
"That was fun," Mireya muttered.
One of the purple tower mages beside her nodded without hesitation. "That was very fun."
Harry Nidhouni stood behind the focused Video Orb, gripping the script tightly. His eyes were wide, and for a moment, he did not look like the director of the scene.
He had read the script. He knew Eren would win. He knew every line that would be spoken. He knew when Argent Sky Dragon would appear, when Last Shelter would activate, and when Demon Lord of the Broken Crown would turn everything around.
Yet even knowing all of that, he still felt his heart pound during the final exchange.
The idea of telling a continuous story that was longer than any play seems to give each character more depth.
A play could indeed show a person’s entire life, but it would skip many parts. This type of show would be able to show everything you would want to see in Eren’s life.
A story did not need to end in one evening anymore. It could grow into something more than what was written. Harry’s hands trembled slightly as he looked at the focused Video Orb. For the first time, he felt as if he had not simply recorded a scene. He had recorded a life from another world.
"Heh, that went better than expected. Now we just need to rewatch it and see if it’s good enough to show to the king."
***
The people gathered around to see the product of their hard work. The focused Video Orb was placed on top of a stone stand.
Unlike a normal Video Orb, which could record and display everything around it, this version had been changed to show only a limited area. If it showed too much at once, the viewer would not know where to look.
The projected image now appeared like a framed window in the air. It did not show everything. It showed only what the focused Video Orb had captured.
When Eren spoke, the image focused on him. When Kael mocked him, the image shifted to Kael’s cold smile.
When Argent Sky Dragon descended, the image widened just enough to show the dragon’s overwhelming presence without swallowing the entire courtyard.
When Demon Lord of the Broken Crown rose from the ruined throne, the image darkened slightly and focused on the broken crown in its hand before slowly revealing the demon lord’s full form.
The background music that was playing during the scene by the band present was quite modern for the fantasy setting of this world. Of course, this was because Lucen was involved.
When Kael appeared, the music became elegant and cold, making his every step feel heavier. When Silvercrest Falcon dominated the duel, the sharp notes made every attack feel faster and more dangerous.
When Eren’s Life Crest fell to one, the music became quiet. When Eren placed his fingers on his deck and declared that the duel was not over, the sudden rise of music made even those who had already seen the scene feel their hearts jump.
Watching the entire show with the background music made it even better than before. The focus on each character, the vision Harry had after reading the script, was beyond that.
He was able to show people how he saw the scene, but it became much more than he had imagined.
"You truly are a genius beyond imagination," Harry commented beside Lucen.
"I guess this is good enough to show the king, right?" Lucen asked with a smile on his face.
"It’s enough to show the deities themselves!" Harry, as usual, spoke in exaggeration.
While Lucen and Harry were talking, Mireya repeatedly watched the episode and became excited all over again.
This was the kind of game she wanted. The years she waited for Lucen to make a new game for her were worth it.
At first, she had simply wanted something interesting to play. Something new. Something that would not become boring after a few days.
But now, seeing the Summon Cards move, seeing the duel unfold like an actual battle, and seeing the back and forth between Card Summoners was very exciting.
It was a game with strategy, and the visuals were nice to see. She wanted to play it the same way as the characters in the show, but she knew that it was not possible at the moment, which gave her the motivation to create the game to become similar to the show.
***
After they made sure that everything was in order, Lucen sent a message to the King to have an audience with him about another thing he had created.
Over the years, Lucen had created one wonder after another, especially in terms of war and logistics, which was why he had been to the royal palace numerous times, more times than most nobles had in their lifetime.
Because of that, it did not take long for Lucen to gain an audience. This time, he brought Harry and Mireya with him.
When they entered the audience chamber, King Ragnor Vaelgard was already seated on his throne. Beside him was the Queen, who had also come after hearing that Lucen had created something new.
At this point, whenever Lucen requested an audience about a new invention, the royal family treated it seriously.
After all, this was the same young man who had brought guns, trains, improved workshops, and all sorts of ridiculous ideas into Norvaegard.
King Ragnor looked at Lucen for a moment with a smile before speaking. "Lucen Thornehart."
"Your Majesty." Lucen bowed politely.
Harry immediately bowed as well, looking far more nervous than Lucen. Mireya also bowed, though in a more laid-back manner.
"So what is it that you wish to show us?" The king asked.
Lucen smiled and took out the modified orb. "This, Your Majesty."
King Ragnor looked at the orb in Lucen’s hand. At first glance, it looked similar to a communication orb, though it had several thin metal rings fitted around it and a few unfamiliar runes carved into its surface.
The King raised an eyebrow. "A communication orb?"
"Similar in appearance, but different in purpose," Lucen answered. "A communication orb allows two people to speak across a distance. This one records what has already happened and shows it again."
The Queen’s eyes showed curiosity. "That is indeed something incredible; it has so many possibilities."
The King was also thinking of the many possibilities that this device could give them. Still, he did not voice those thoughts of his. He waited for Lucen to continue telling him what he wanted.
Lucen placed the focus video orb on a stand that had been prepared beforehand. Harry, who had regained his composure, stepped forward and adjusted his position.
Lucen looked toward the King and Queen. "Rather than explaining everything, I believe it would be better for Your Majesty to see it directly."
King Ragnor leaned back against his throne. "Very well. Show us."
Lucen activated the orb. A framed image appeared in the air. It was slightly different from a communication orb that made it seem like you were talking to someone as if they were really there.
The frame marking the borders of the image did not create the illusion that they were there, but instead, it was like watching a picture book moving on its own.
A few scenes passed by, accompanied by music. The King and Queen were entranced by what they were watching, from the story, the acting, the music, and the game itself.
Once the episode was over, the King and Queen, who were engrossed in the story, spoke at the same time.
"What happens next?"
Hearing that question, Lucen smiled inside. He knew that they were hooked, and what he wanted to happen next would be easier to do.
"Well, we do have a few episodes prepared, but I wish to show them to more people. Your Majesty, I would like permission to place focused Video Orbs in certain cities of Norvaegard."
"So you wish to show this to all of Norvaegard?"
"I’m calling it an orbshow, and yes, I do wish for many people to be able to watch it."
"Where will you place them? Will you charge them to watch the show?"
"I plan to place them in different city squares. The orbshow will be played at specific times and only once. I plan to make them watch for free, but if they want to watch it again, they need to buy a Focus Video Orb and the Storage Crystal that has the recordings of the show."
King Ragnor stared at the orb for several seconds before clearing his throat.
"Before we discuss distribution," he said, voice unusually serious, "show us the next episode first."
The Queen nodded immediately. Seeing this scene caught Harry off guard, but then he nodded his head. Even Royalty could not ignore the brilliance of this so-called orbshow.
Lucen shrugged his shoulders and signalled Harry to show the King and Queen the next episode. Since he got what he wanted, it wouldn’t hurt to show them more.
