Chapter 103: Highlight(5)
Chapter 103: Highlight(5)
In both my past and present lives, my idea of a "play" in a medieval setting was always something like an opera or a musical. You know the type—actors appear on stage to showcase their acting skills, interspersed with songs here and there.
However, the stage that had just been presented as a sort of trailer was definitely not a musical. Even with the memories of my past life, I would have given it a ten out of ten. It was a level of production value that no one could hope to emulate.
A man had burst onto the center of the plain, let out a grotesque scream, and gradually transformed into a demon. Just as his wings fully sprouted, a massive scythe suddenly lunged out of the darkness and hooked around his neck.
Finally, there was the prayer that hinted at the appearance of a specific character. Even for a fantasy world, the production quality didn't pale in comparison to my previous life.
No. In fact, it was arguably superior.
This wasn't a "movie" using CG; it was a "play" happening in real-time on a stage.
Naturally, my expectations soared, and I found myself eagerly waiting for the actual performance to begin.
[Ah. Ah-ah. A message for those waiting in the audience. The Matrix Theater Troupe's performance will begin in twenty minutes. Please feel free to rest until then. Repeating the announcement. Our...]
Just as I was fidgeting, not knowing when the show would start, a loud announcement echoed through the area. Between this and the prayer the actor had recited earlier, it seemed the Matrix Theater Troupe had prepared quite a few tricks.
I wondered if the troupe had equipment like microphones. It wouldn't be that strange, considering microphones were placed on the podium during the Academy's entrance ceremony.
What kind of equipment are they using? Is it magic?
The secret behind the Matrix Theater Troupe's exceptional production remained a mystery. Furthermore, the director's identity was unknown, as they preferred to use representatives.
In fact, the person who had visited our mansion was a representative, not the person in charge like Lirus. When asked where the person in charge was, the only answer I got was that the director disliked meeting people.
Because of this mystique, many were curious about the director's identity. Even I was dying to know who was behind a production style that was so far ahead of its time, so I could only imagine how others felt.
Since it was now intermission, I stood up to head to the restroom. As I did, the two women sitting on either side of me asked in turn.
"Where are you going?"
"Where are you off to?"
In moments like this, who should I look at when answering? I felt a brief moment of distress, but I pretended to straighten my clothes while keeping my eyes on the stage.
"Just the restroom. I'm going to grab some drinks while I'm at it."
"Oh! I'll go with you."
"What about you, Cecile?"
"I'll stay here. My heart hasn't quite settled yet..."
Come to think of it, there were slight traces of tears in the corners of her eyes. It seemed the Lirus Orchestra's piece, "Life," had moved her deeply.
I looked at Cecile and then at the handkerchief still clutched in her hand. It was damp, suggesting she had shed more tears than I thought.
"Alright. The restroom and the stalls are nearby, so we'll be back soon."
"Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."
"Okay. Mari?"
"Yeah."
When I offered my hand, Mari took it naturally and stood up. Once she was on her feet, I glanced around.
Perhaps because the show wasn't starting for another twenty minutes, many people had temporarily left their seats. Empty spots were visible not just in the VIP section, but in the commoner seats as well.
Deciding we should return quickly to avoid losing our spots, I headed out with Mari. I made sure to say "excuse me" as we passed by those still seated.
Once we were out of the seating area, I looked at Mari and asked.
"By the way, Mari, did you need to use the restroom too?"
"I just wanted to follow you."
How does she always pick the sweetest things to say? I almost hugged her right there in front of everyone, but I barely managed to restrain myself.
Objectively speaking, anyone would find it hard to resist when their beautiful girlfriend is smiling brightly and acting cute, but I accomplished that difficult feat.
After a quick trip to the restroom, Mari and I began choosing drinks to have during the performance. I didn't forget to ask her about the Matrix Theater Troupe while we browsed.
"Mari, have you ever seen a Matrix Theater Troupe performance before? Do they always do productions like that?"
"I've only seen them once. And the production style back then was exactly the same. Should I call it a trailer? Anyway, they usually announce the start like that. Because of it, a lot of people look forward to seeing what kind of trailer they'll show."
So today wasn't an exception; they were always unique. I became even more curious about the director's identity.
"I assume you don't know who the director is either?"
"Of course not. Maybe they're someone like you? Just as you hide your identity to write the stories you want, maybe the Matrix director hides theirs to show the stage they want."
"Hmm... that makes sense."
It had been over ten years since the Matrix Theater Troupe became famous. Yet, the director had managed to keep their identity hidden that entire time.
Of course, a select few probably knew who it was, but since the director was a master among masters, people likely didn't dare mess with them.
"Why? Do you want to meet them?"
"Yeah. When those demon wings sprouted from his back, I really thought a demon had appeared. Weren't you surprised?"
"I was at first, but I realized it was a play when I saw the orchestra staying calm. Oh, and I heard you swearing quite vividly. I guess you were really startled?"
"Ahem. Cough."
I cleared my throat to hide my embarrassment at Mari's teasing tone. I had been so shocked that the curse just slipped out reflexively.
But honestly, who wouldn't be startled by a production like that? Moreover, since it was a Demon turning into a demon, I couldn't help but react strongly.
"...Anyway, let's get back quickly. What do you want to drink, Mari?"
"Nice subject change. I'll have lemon juice."
"Then I'll have grape juice."
We bought our respective drinks and were heading back to the stage. I was taking a sip of my grape juice when a certain person caught my eye.
They were wearing a robe, so I couldn't see their face clearly, but their short stature and the silver-grey hair peeking out from under the hood were distinctive. Between the height and the hair color, I realized it was Arwen.
She was currently sitting on a bench, looking down as if lost in deep thought. From a distance, she looked like she might be sleeping.
"Isaac?"
"Hold on a second."
Leaving Mari's call behind, I approached Arwen. Even though we were nothing more than passing acquaintances, she had helped me pick out books, so it was hard to just walk by.
One might call it meddling, but I wasn't cold-hearted enough to ignore someone who had shown me kindness.
"Arwen?"
"...Hmm?"
When I called her name tentatively, the girl who had been looking down slowly raised her head. Seeing the silver-grey eyes and the youthful, girl-like face, it was definitely Arwen.
As soon as Arwen saw me, she blinked her silver-grey eyes a couple of times before widening them in surprise.
"Isaac? What brings you to this place?"
"I was just passing by and saw you here. You looked like you had something on your mind."
"Something on my mind?"
At my question, Arwen blinked again as if confused. Seeing that reaction, I had a gut feeling.
I was mistaken. I scratched my head, feeling a bit awkward.
"Never mind then. You were looking down, so I thought you were worried about something."
"Ah... it is not that. I simply had something to ponder for a moment. It is not a matter for you to worry about."
"Well, that's a relief. By the way, did you enjoy the performance?"
"It was a truly magnificent performance. And more than the performance itself, I liked the structure of the seating, which took people of short stature like myself into consideration. I heard it was a temporary construction, yet I was able to watch the performance clearly with my own eyes."
In reality, Arwen was quite short. She barely seemed to top 150cm.
However, because the seating wasn't flat but rose gradually, even short people like Arwen could watch the show without issue. It had almost been built flat, but thanks to the designer's foresight, a disaster was averted.
"So there are no problems, then?"
"As I have said before, there is no need to treat me like a child. Despite my appearance, I am more than capable of holding my own."
I let out a small chuckle as Arwen grumbled her response. Regardless of my initial worry, it seemed there were no issues.
"Alright. I'll be going then. Enjoy the rest of the show."
"I hope you enjoy it as well. A performance by the Matrix Theater Troupe is something even I cannot easily see."
Hearing her say "even I" gave me a hint about her extraordinary status. Still, I didn't let it show and simply waved to her as I returned to Mari.
When I got back to Mari, I found her looking quite dissatisfied. It seemed she wasn't happy about me talking to Arwen.
Sipping her lemon juice in silence with a grumpy expression, she glared at me fiercely before asking in a displeased tone.
"Who is that girl?"
"Just an Elf I happened to meet at the bookstore."
"Is that really all?"
"What else would there be?"
"Hmm..."
Mari stared intently at Arwen, who was still sitting on the bench. Then, she tilted her head and muttered uncertainly.
"Judging by the robe, she's clearly not of common status... but even so, it's strange for her to be out alone without a guard knight..."
"Is it mandatory to bring a guard knight?"
"Of course. Just look at Cecile. She has the martial power to destroy a mountain on her own, yet she still visited with Mr. Gartz, didn't she?"
True, Cecile had visited our territory with Gartz without even announcing her intent to attend. Arwen might be in a similar situation.
As I listened to Mari's explanation and thought it over, I remembered what Cecile had said the moment she met Arwen.
'Who are these people?' she had asked.
Cecile must have seen something clearly that I hadn't. I recalled the morning's events but decided to let it slide.
It was unlikely Arwen had come here with ill intentions, and even if she had, our mansion was being strictly guarded by the knights.
Since they were knights dispatched directly from the Imperial Palace, I could trust them.
"You might be right. But everyone has their own circumstances, don't they? Besides, there's no way she knows I'm Xenon."
"I guess so. Still, don't you dare give her a second look. Got it?"
Mari gave me a stern warning while poking my cheek repeatedly with her finger. I gently caught her finger and spoke playfully.
"Are you jealous, by any chance?"
"And what if I am?"
"Should I give you a kiss?"
"...Let's go over there for a second."
She was so honest. I chuckled and let myself be led by Mari to a secluded spot.
As for what we did there... you can probably guess without me saying it. It was just some nauseatingly sweet public display of affection.
Afterward, we returned to the VIP seats and waited quietly for the show to begin. As if to prove the "collaboration," the Lirus Orchestra was still on stage.
The only difference was that their position had shifted slightly downward, closer to the audience. Along with that, a semi-transparent barrier had been set up between the stage and the audience during the break.
I wondered about the purpose of the barrier for a moment, then felt a sense of familiarity and muttered to myself.
Wait, is that the same thing they have at the training hall?
The barrier was a protective shield specially treated for shock absorption.
And the Matrix Theater Troupe's production style pursued the ultimate reality.
No way. Surely they wouldn't...
But my prediction was shattered spectacularly.
BOOM!
"... ..."
Because as soon as the performance began, a flashy battle between actors unfolded before my eyes.
They were even using mana; every time a sword swung, the ground was gouged out, and when weapons clashed, massive blue explosions erupted along with loud booms.
Fortunately, thanks to the protective barrier, the audience wasn't affected, but they were truly pursuing the absolute limit of realism.
D... damn, this is insane...
If I'd known it would be like this, I would have brought some popcorn.
*
Meanwhile, in the regular seating area, away from the VIP section.
Arwen, the Queen of Albenheim, sat in the seat she had occupied earlier and waited quietly for the performance to start.
She was excited not just because it was a play, but because it was based on the Xenon Biography, a series she loved dearly.
Had she not abandoned all her duties as Queen and traveled to this distant territory just for this day? Arwen felt her heart racing as she clutched snacks in both hands.
Of course, one hand was for Rain, the Dark Elf who had accompanied her. Even though Rain was obsessed with sweets, even she didn't eat this much.
However...
[My Queen. There is something I need to check briefly. May I go for a moment?]
Rain's voice echoed in her head. It was Telepathy, a skill that could only be used by those who had mastered magic.
Due to the nature of her race, Rain had to keep herself hidden, so she preferred to communicate only through Telepathy. Since both were Elves, it wasn't a difficult task.
[Something to check?]
Arwen asked back in a curious voice. What could there possibly be to check in this territory, which had nothing to see besides the exhibition?
Her curiosity was brief, as Rain sent another telepathic message in a somewhat excited tone.
[It might be something you would like, My Queen. I will truly just check and come right back.]
[...Very well. But do not do anything dangerous.]
[Oh, My Queen. Do you not trust me?]
It's because I don't trust you that I'm saying this. Arwen felt suspicious but granted Rain's request anyway.
I've already set up insurance, after all...