Chapter 107: After the Show(1)
Chapter 107: After the Show(1)
The stage, where a breathless battle was unfolding, was rapidly hurtling toward its climax. Sacran, seemingly exhausted, squeezed out every last drop of his strength to pressure Xenon, while Xenon fought desperately to grant Sacran his final rest.
When Xenon seemed to be pushed back momentarily, a Demon—presumably Jin—belatedly rushed in to join the fray. Since the duo of Xenon and Jin began fighting as one from Volume 5, it was the perfect timing.
"Hraaaaaah!"
Finally, Sacran began to unleash all the demonic power he had suppressed. A dark, murky energy started to ooze from him, revealing just how much power he had been holding back.
In response, Xenon and Jin also seemed determined, unleashing their full strength to prepare for the bloody decisive battle. Just as the fully demonized Sacran charged toward the two, the Lirus Orchestra presented another movement.
It ended with the same high-pitched violin melody as before, but a new piece followed immediately after.
—Ah. O, Demons. Ye who are born in darkness yet yearn for the light.
The choir, which had been waiting in silence, joined in with a majestic yet sorrowful chorus. Simultaneously, as the final battle unfolded, the performance directly expressed the essence of "Life."
I was truly moved by the harmony between the play and the choir, and by the sheer level of preparation shown by the Lirus Orchestra. Now I understood why Lirus had said the previous performance was merely a teaser.
Just how much effort had they poured into this collaboration? As a mere writer, I couldn't even begin to imagine.
—We shall brave the waves of tragedy and unite our wills.
—We shall resist the darkness and march toward the light.
—O God. Grant us hope.
—O God. Grant us rest.
—I pray that I may die as a human.
—Aaaaaah.
The chorus proceeded slowly, not rushing, and ended with a harmony that sounded almost like a desperate scream. However, the battle on stage had not yet concluded, so the Lirus Orchestra responded by repeating the chorus once more.
Usually, a battle is so full of urgency and tension that you can't look away, but this stage felt as if a person's entire "Life" was contained within it, making it impossible to avert one's eyes for even a second. The immersion went beyond terrifying; it was proof of why they were considered the best in the world.
I began to doubt if the two groups that created this incredible stage were truly talents suited for the medieval era. With this level of skill, they wouldn't have been out of place in the cultural sphere of my previous life.
Slash!
"Guh...! Kgh...!"
The tragic battle, which had made my palms sweat, was finally reaching its end. Thanks to Jin's efforts, Xenon found an opening and delivered a deep, diagonal slash across Sacran's torso.
Perhaps due to the accumulated damage, even a Demon's regenerative powers couldn't mend the long gash on Sacran's chest. Xenon did not miss this opportunity.
Gripping his sword tightly with both hands, he thrust it precisely into the staggering Sacran's heart.
Thuck!
"...Cough!"
Sacran coughed up black blood as the blade pierced his heart. Trembling, he looked down at the sword embedded in his chest before slowly lifting his head.
As their eyes met, Xenon maintained a stoic expression even as he violently wrenched the sword out. A spray of black blood followed the blade with a sickening squelch.
Thud!
"Lord Sacran!"
"Sacran!"
Even if he had become a devil, Sacran was still the mentor and hero who had protected the Demons. As Sacran fell to his knees, the Demons who had been watching the battle rushed toward him.
But they must have known. With his heart pierced, there was no hope left for Sacran. In the end, he would die as a devil.
And the one who knew this better than anyone was Sacran himself. He coughed repeatedly, spitting up black blood, before finally managing to lift his head.
The people he had spent his life protecting, even at the cost of becoming a devil himself. Sacran looked at their faces, which were a whirlwind of complex emotions, and spoke in a low murmur.
"Hunters... remember these words..."
"..."
"For the sake of those you hold dear... do not fear becoming a devil yourself."
A man who had sacrificed himself to protect his loved ones stood before them. Until his very last moment, Sacran was worried about his kin.
How noble and sacred a destiny. Even though he was a character I created, there were few as devoted as Sacran.
For some reason, tears welled up, and as I rubbed the corners of my eyes with the back of my hand, Sacran continued with a ragged, struggling voice.
"For that is true human courage and sacrifice... I die not as a devil, but as a human."
Sacran's sacrifice has a massive impact on the protagonist's party, especially Jin. In the final stages, Jin willingly sacrifices himself, knowing that the soul of the Archdemon must be absorbed to be completely destroyed.
In essence, Sacran's tragedy indirectly foreshadows Jin's fate. Indeed, as the story progresses, Jin finds himself thinking of Sacran more and more frequently.
Anyway, this was the end of Sacran's sacrifice. Next, Sacran should turn into particles of light and disappear, reaching the end of his life's journey...
"Young human... I have one question."
Whether it was an adaptation or not, Sacran questioned Xenon as his body began to turn into bright particles.
In the original work, he simply vanished without such a conversation, so as the original author, I couldn't help but be slightly flustered. If I felt this way, imagine how others felt.
Meanwhile, half of Sacran's body turned into light and scattered into the air. Yet, he mustered his strength to voice the question he wanted to ask Xenon.
"Do I... look like a devil to you?"
"...No."
After a brief moment of surprise at Sacran's question, Xenon shook his head without a hint of hesitation.
Then, staring straight at the fading Sacran, he delivered a beautiful response in a firm voice.
"You are more human than anyone, Sacran."
"...Hahaha."
Sacran's laughter sounded somewhat relieved. In the original work, Sacran never laughed.
But seeing such a man laugh... how should I put it? It felt as if he had let go of everything. It was an incredible character interpretation, even for me, the original author.
"That is... a relief..."
Finally, Sacran slowly tilted his head toward the sky and whispered softly...
"Truly... a relief..."
With a smile more blissful than anyone's, he completely vanished into particles of light.
Shhhhhhh—
"...Huh?"
While I was staring at the stage with a dazed expression at an ending that far surpassed the original, something began to fall from the sky. Snapping out of it, I looked up.
Light was falling in clusters, like snow. It wasn't a metaphorical expression; light was literally falling from the sky like snow.
As if the particles of light generated by Sacran's disappearance were falling, the sight of light fluttering like petals over the audience seats was truly a spectacle.
"Ah..."
"Wow..."
At the beautiful production, not only I but also the women sitting on either side of me looked entranced, each reacting differently.
Mari blinked and reached out a hand toward the light, while Cecile folded her hands neatly to let the light settle on them.
I also let the light land on my palm, but it soon turned into dust and scattered into the air. As the light vanished, I looked up to face the beautiful sight once more.
"It's beautiful..."
Just what kind of person was this director to show such heart-wrenching beauty until the very end? How much preparation must have gone into this to create such an impossible production in a medieval era lacking science?
He was a genius ahead of his time; even that description felt insufficient.
Clap— Clap— Clap—
While everyone was too stunned to react, someone started clapping. Then, as if possessed by the sound, others began to join in one by one.
Clap clap clap clap—
The sound of clapping, faint at first, grew louder and louder.
Clap clap clap clap!
"Woooooo!"
"That was amazing!"
"The best! Simply the best!"
A moment later, it turned into a roar that could put thunder to shame. It wasn't just simple clapping; it was a standing ovation from every single audience member, accompanied by cheers that created a feverish atmosphere.
I also stood up and clapped slowly, feeling somewhat dazed.
The production was so magnificent that I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or if this world was actually Earth. To perform such a show as a play, not a movie, stirred an indescribable emotion within me.
"It's truly incredible. How can someone create a stage like this?"
"Sniff... It was so wonderful..."
Mari and Cecile also offered their evaluations while clapping. While Mari stopped at admiration, Cecile was sobbing almost hysterically, repeatedly wiping her eyes with my handkerchief.
Is he really a reincarnator like me or something?
Of course, I doubted if even Christopher Nolan or Steven Spielberg could direct such a performance if they were reincarnated. As Cecile mentioned, the scene where the demons poured out used magic.
This meant there was a member proficient in magic, and I wondered why such a mage would participate in a play. Whether they were persuaded by silver-tongued words or the mage was the director themselves, their talent was undeniably exceptional.
Clap clap clap clap...
The applause, which felt like it would never stop, gradually subsided as time passed. The snow of light falling from the sky had also mostly ceased.
A moment later, when the applause had nearly died down, Lirus, who had conducted "Life" until the end, turned around and addressed the audience.
"Did everyone enjoy the performance? It might be bold of me to say, but I am certain it was a moving stage. Even I was moved when I saw the Matrix Theater Troupe's play during our collaboration."
Lirus humbly credited all the emotion to the Matrix Theater Troupe, but in truth, the Lirus Orchestra's performance was just as magnificent, if not more so.
To use a culinary metaphor, the Matrix Theater Troupe's performance was the main dish, while the Lirus Orchestra's music was the sugar, salt, and various spices that brought out the flavor. If the play had continued without "Life" being played, it would have felt somewhat bland.
"It was truly an honor to show this performance to all of you. I am Lirus, the conductor of the Lirus Orchestra, and I will continue to show you wonderful performances in the future."
After finishing his address to the audience, Lirus bowed slightly like a gentleman. Naturally, thunderous applause erupted as he bowed.
Now that Lirus had given his greetings, the Matrix Theater Troupe should also come out. Just as I thought that, the actors began to appear behind the orchestra...
Step— Step— Step—
...No, instead, a single person walked slowly toward the center of the stage. I scanned the person's appearance with a questioning look.
Their face was hidden under a hood, but their sturdy build suggested it was a man. However, he had a gloomy aura that didn't seem like an actor's at all.
I wasn't the only one thinking this, as the audience began to murmur at the appearance of the strange man. From questions about who he was to expectations that another play was about to unfold.
I felt similarly, so I waited with slight anticipation to see what would happen.
"...Ahem."
Meanwhile, the man who had reached the center of the stage cleared his throat to settle the atmosphere. Naturally, the murmuring of the audience stopped.
He looked around the crowd, cleared his throat once more, and spoke in a gentle yet deep voice.
"Hello, everyone. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Skal, the director of the Matrix Theater Troupe."
"What?"
"The director?"
"Is that true?"
At the shocking declaration, the audience's murmuring grew much louder than before. I was just as flustered as the rest of the audience.
Until now, the director of the Matrix Theater Troupe had been a veiled figure who had never revealed their identity. That mystery, combined with their brilliant directing skills, had allowed them to become world-famous.
Even when signing contracts with other groups, they always used a representative. When the Matrix Theater Troupe visited our mansion a few days ago, they communicated through a representative, not the director.
And yet, he suddenly revealed himself today. It was a shocking event for everyone, and his intentions were unknown.
"I'm sure you're all confused. You must be wondering why a director who has kept his identity hidden until now has appeared here. For your information, I am not an impostor but the real director, so there is no need for doubt."
"..."
"The reason I am showing myself to you today is simple. I wanted to ask if you truly enjoyed the performance. Well? Did you enjoy watching the show?"
"""YES!!!"""
The thunderous response came not from the VIP seats, but from the commoners' section. To maintain their dignity, the VIPs responded with applause instead of words.
The director nodded as if satisfied with the audience's reaction and slowly continued.
"I'm truly glad you enjoyed it. To be honest, I was nervous because I adapted the original work slightly. Most of you here are likely fans of the Xenon Biography, so you probably know which parts I changed."
The director was referring to Sacran's final words. In fact, the character interpretation was so excellent that it could be said to have surpassed the original.
"I don't know if he is here, but if Xenon is present, I would like to offer my thanks and apologies. He wrote such a wonderful novel, yet I could only express this much. I even interpreted it as I pleased."
"..."
Not at all. In fact, I felt like going up to him and prostrating myself.
Only this director could have the ability to transform a novel filled only with text into such a brilliant spectacle.
"Until now, my plays could only be seen by the wealthy or the nobility. But looking at the audience today... I felt that this is what a culture everyone can enjoy together looks like. The collaboration with the Lirus Orchestra was also a great experience for me."
"..."
"Well... anyway, the introduction has been long, but what I want to say is this."
Swish—
As he said that, the director threw off the robe that had been hiding his face. As soon as he removed the robe, my eyes couldn't help but widen.
Because...
"H-Horns? No way..."
"He was a Demon?"
"My god..."
Jet-black hair and demonic horns protruding from his head. And eyes that glowed blood-red.
The director, who had a gentle beauty despite his deep voice, was none other than a Demon.
The fact that the director of a world-renowned troupe was a Demon made the audience even more boisterous than before. As if he had expected all of this, the director smiled broadly and continued in his characteristic gentle tone.
"As you can all see, I am a Demon. A Demon who was persecuted until the Xenon Biography appeared in the world."
"..."
"But everyone. How did you feel when you watched my performance? You might have been curious about who designed such a stage, but you probably never imagined it was a Demon."
There was a subtle power in his gentle tone. The noisy audience fell silent the moment the director spoke and listened intently to his story.
After a brief moment of surprise at the fact that the director was a Demon, I glanced at Cecile. She didn't look particularly surprised, perhaps having guessed as much from the use of magic.
"...Sniff."
She was just busy crying. I looked at the handkerchief, which was now soaking wet, before turning my head forward again.
"What kind of race do you think Demons are? Until the Xenon Biography was published, we were probably seen as devils and ticking time bombs. In fact, that's partly true. We Demons are a race born with a tragic fate, always having to fight the inner evil."
"..."
"But everything changed after the Xenon Biography appeared. The Xenon Biography gave us Demons hope instead of despair. It gave us the courage to march toward the light without fearing the darkness."
He was really laying on the praise. I felt a sudden urge to squirm from the sheer embarrassment.
While I was twitching from shame, the director looked around the crowd once more and quietly continued his speech.
"I can say that I also gained courage from it. And although I am a Demon, I am nothing more than an ordinary artist who loves art. I hope you will see us Demons not as devils, but as ordinary people living in this world."
"..."
"That is all I have to say, and if Xenon is here, I would like to sincerely thank him. This was Skal, the director of the Matrix Theater Troupe. Thank you!"
Clap clap clap clap clap!!!
As Skal bowed deeply and politely, the applause erupted once more, loud enough to be deafening. Soon, several people approached Skal, presumably the actors of the troupe.
Surprisingly, they were not Demons but ordinary humans. The Matrix Theater Troupe had been famous long before the Xenon Biography was published, so the fact that they had stayed together until now suggested they were also open-minded people.
And so, the lingering performance came to an end. However, people could not easily leave their seats. They were lost in the afterglow of the show.
I was the same. The impression I received from the performance wouldn't leave me easily. Instead, it kept swirling in my head, making me imagine it over and over.
...I have to write, if only out of gratitude.
Their performance sparked an impulse in me to write. Honestly, after they showed this level of quality, I should scrap any thoughts of taking a hiatus as a reward.
Even if I could only publish one volume every two months due to my studies, shouldn't I show that much effort? I closed my eyes and imagined the future developments.
"It was a truly incredible stage. Wasn't it?"
"...Yeah."
"When are you going to leave?"
Mari, beside me, asked. I waved my arm weakly and gave a vague answer.
"You go back to the mansion first. I'll stay here for a bit."
"Pfft. You're so drained because you liked it so much. How cute."
Mari chuckled at my answer and lightly pinched my cheek. I didn't even have the energy to react, so I let her do as she pleased.
"And... Isaac."
"Yeah."
"When should I come to your bedroom?"
Come to think of it, there was that. I thought about it for a moment and gave her a suitable time.
"Around nine should be fine."
"Nine... okay. I can look forward to it, right?"
Look forward to what? I looked at Mari with a face full of questions.
She was smiling brightly, but her cheeks were flushed as if she were somewhat embarrassed. This only made me more curious.
"...To what?"
"Hmm... nothing. I'll be going now."
With that, Mari stood up and vanished, almost as if she were running away. I stared blankly at her retreating back and murmured softly.
"...What was that about?"
As I was murmuring, Cecile asked me from the side.
"Sniff... Isaac..."
"Yes?"
"Could we... talk for a moment? Hic..."
I looked at Cecile, who was still shedding tears, with an absurd expression. Despite crying throughout the entire performance, her beauty was relatively intact.
Ah, of course.
...She's not going to get dehydrated, is she?
I couldn't help but worry, given how soaked the handkerchief was.
I looked back and forth between the sobbing Cecile and the handkerchief before answering quietly.
"All right."
"Sniff... thank you..."
After answering, Cecile carefully took my hand and spoke while sobbing.
"There's something I really want to... hic... tell you..."