Chapter 267: Covering Fire(1)
Chapter 267: Covering Fire(1)
The Matrix Theater Troupe... or should I call them that? Regardless, the world's first film presented by the Matrix Theater Troupe concluded as a resounding success.
It featured the spectacular production and stellar acting that were the hallmarks of the Matrix Theater Troupe’s identity. Finally, it was topped off with the sound effects and OST provided by the Lirus Orchestra.
The play shown at the last exhibition had also been a masterpiece born from the harmony of all those elements, but the film shown today was the pinnacle.
It was talent far ahead of its time. I wondered what kind of knowledge was packed inside Director Skal’s head for him to display a level of directorial prowess that rivaled Earth’s.
In particular, the "déjà vu" technique shown at the very end was enough to justify calling Skal a genius. In my previous life, it was a common cliché, but here, there was nothing to draw from.
Even with his experience as a stage director, film production must have been a first for Skal. Furthermore, he clearly demonstrated the distinct differences between a play and a film.
To Helium, Skal was an indispensable talent and artist. Seeing how they showered him with support, one could roughly estimate just how great his capabilities and potential were.
Anyway, the world's first film ended in great success, and finally, just as they had at the last exhibition, the director and the actors appeared on stage.
I noticed one surprising thing: the actress who played Elisha was an actual Elf. It wasn't makeup or magic.
Apparently, she was even in a real relationship with the actor who played Kair. They explained that her aged appearance had been achieved through transformation magic.
‘They really put a lot of effort into this.’
The scale of the Matrix Theater Troupe had grown several times larger since the last exhibition. The fact that the director was a Demon was shocking to some, but it didn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.
If anything, the number of people harboring dreams of becoming actors and joining the Matrix Theater Troupe had increased significantly. The scale of the arts had been expanded tremendously.
Above all, Skal’s side was also keeping a close eye on the exhibition. As everyone knew, the exhibition featured not only the Matrix Theater Troupe but other plays as well.
Even if they didn't boast the insane production value of the Matrix Theater Troupe, some of the plays were quite excellent. Since plays, by nature, highlight an actor's skill, they served as a sort of gateway for the Matrix Theater Troupe to scout talent.
"Does anyone have any questions? We still have some time left, so I’ll take a few."
After a long explanation, Director Skal opened the floor for questions. Simultaneously, countless people on the first floor shot their hands into the air.
Perhaps to maintain their dignity, only a few nobles raised their hands. Of course, I was one of those few.
As I thrust my hand up, I felt various gazes converging on me—from the Imperial royalty sitting far off to the royalty of the Ters Republic.
To hell with noble dignity. Solving my curiosity came first.
"Hmm... the red-haired gentleman over there? Please, ask your question. I’ll amplify your voice with magic, so just speak as you are."
I used to hate my conspicuous red hair, but today, I was starting to like it. As Skal gestured toward me, I cleared my throat and spoke.
"Ah. Testing, one, two."
As if magic really was being used, my voice boomed as if through a microphone. I marveled at the infinite possibilities of magic for a moment before speaking.
First, I started with praise, saying it was a truly wonderful film and that the production was worthy of the Matrix Theater Troupe. I made sure to put Skal and the rest of the troupe in a good mood with various compliments.
Then, finally, I fired off the question I truly wanted to ask.
"So, I was wondering, could you tell us when the next installment will be released? Of course, I know production takes a long time. But the film was so wonderful that I can't help but look forward to it."
"The next installment... but first, could you tell me what that word you used, 'film,' means?"
"Uh."
Come to think of it, they called this an "extension of a play" here, not a film. I had referred to it as a movie out of habit.
It was hard to brush it off as a slip of the tongue, since I had used the word so naturally just now.
Before correcting myself, I glanced sideways, fearing the worst. Sure enough.
My eyes met Cecile’s, who was looking at me with a meaningful smile. The moment I saw that smile, a chill ran down my spine, and I immediately looked back toward the front.
"Ahaha... I think I was lost in thought for a moment. My apologies."
"Not at all. 'Film'... it has a nice ring to it. I’ll answer your question now. After Kair's death, the story continues with Mary's confession and her union with Xenon, leading into the full-scale Demon Invasion. However, to cover all of that, we lack the necessary manpower, and the script isn't refined yet. Above all, the Demon Invasion isn't just a battle; it's a war."
As Skal explained, the Demon Invasion followed Kair's death. Since it was on the scale of a war rather than a single battle, it was impossible to film in a short period.
Actors, production, know-how, and so on—even though this first leap was successful, they hadn't accumulated enough experience yet.
Skal’s explanation was that it was better not to do it at all than to release a half-baked failure that would tarnish the Xenon Biography.
"That doesn't mean we won't do it at all. It's a bit embarrassing to say this to all of you, but this performance was essentially a test. You could call it a prototype. If Sir Xenon gives his permission, we plan to start producing from Volume 1 and work our way up."
Just shut up and take my letter of permission already. As soon as I heard him, I looked at Cecile.
She tilted her head innocently as if asking why I was looking at her, an unreadable smile still playing on her lips.
I smacked my lips at her reaction and then subtly grabbed her hand. I even nodded my head, signaling a silent plea for her help.
The reason the Matrix Theater Troupe could produce films was thanks to Helium's infinite support. No matter how great the troupe was, they couldn't do anything without money.
Cecile chuckled at my desperate(?) plea and leaned in close to my ear. Then, in a voice thick with seduction, she whispered a single word.
"Seed."
"..."
I understood immediately what she wanted from that one word. Because of that, I couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Even if everything else was a joke, Cecile was dead serious about the "seed." However, I had no intention of hurting Marie's feelings for the sake of my own greed.
I just had to endure it for a bit. When I gave a bitter smile to signal my refusal, Cecile shrugged as if she had expected it.
In truth, her seductive demand for a "seed" was likely just a tease. She usually granted most of my requests anyway.
Regardless, after my question, a barrage of other questions poured in for Skal—ranging from how the battle scenes were produced to whether he had met Xenon in person, and how he planned to cast actors.
The biggest point of interest was the casting. While Humans and Demons were one thing, everyone was curious about how he would cast other races.
Skal seemed to be struggling with this part as well, scratching his head and taking a somewhat ambiguous stance.
"To be honest, I only managed to cast Elisha's actress after a great deal of pleading. Furthermore, Albenheim is currently actively interacting with its neighbors thanks to Queen Arwen's policies. I’d like to cast them if possible, but... I suspect Albenheim might try to produce their own plays separately."
That was a very plausible story. Who was the director of the Matrix Theater Troupe currently? A Demon who received plenty of support from Helium.
From Albenheim's perspective, they would think, 'If the Demons can make one, why can't we!' Skal was likely expressing his frustration because he knew that.
However, one had to keep in mind that the race didn't matter. What mattered was the director's capability itself.
Whether it was a Demon or an Elf, if you put a director as capable as Skal in charge, a masterpiece like this would be born. If not, it would be a disaster.
‘I hope Arwen handles it well...’
I shifted my gaze to where Arwen was sitting. She was seated a bit away from us. This was to avoid suspicion of being privately close, even if she had acted as our guide earlier.
If it were discovered that Arwen and I were close in private, people would naturally start suspecting I was Xenon. So, she was currently sitting next to her guard knight, Keir.
Seeing them whispering to each other, it seemed they were exchanging brief opinions. Arwen was a very wise queen, so I trusted her to take measures to prevent any strange incidents.
"That concludes my time. I am Skal, the director of the Matrix Theater Troupe. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for watching our performance, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the exhibition. Thank you!"
After the barrage of questions ended, the Matrix Theater Troupe gave their final bows. I, along with everyone else in the theater, responded with thunderous applause.
I should write a letter of permission this evening. I hoped the Demon Invasion of Albenheim—or rather, Elvenheim—from the books would be realized soon, but that would take a long time.
For now, the priority was to gain experience by carefully turning the story into films starting from Volume 1.
"It was a truly wonderful performance. Don't you think?"
"Yeah. I wonder if we can see it again tomorrow?"
"I bet everyone else is thinking the same thing. But they said they'd be here for a few days, so we should be able to see it at least once more."
After the film ended, I returned to the mansion with my companions. Even as we left, most people remained in their seats, still caught in the lingering emotions of the show.
The plot was one thing, but the déjà vu technique shown at the end must have been stuck in their heads. Even I, a person from Earth, thought of it from time to time, so imagine how it must be for the people here.
And so, we walked back to the mansion, sharing our various impressions of the film. Once we got back, I planned to tell my parents they absolutely had to watch it.
"Did you enjoy it too, Adele?"
"Yeah... Ah, no. Yes. It was very entertaining."
Adelia had accidentally spoken informally as she usually did before quickly switching back to formal speech. Her flustered appearance was quite cute, but it felt a bit stiff.
"You can speak comfortably. It's just us right now."
"Yeah. It's a bit awkward when you're like that, hey," Nicole added, resting a hand on Adelia's shoulder to show their closeness. It must have been quite awkward for Nicole to hear Adelia using formal language with her too.
"No. For now... I am still on duty."
"Well, if you say so. But you'll go back to talking normally once your shift is over, right?"
"Yes."
As my exclusive maid, Adelia's shift would normally end after dinner. However, for events like today, it was extended indefinitely.
By the way, even exclusive maids received overtime pay. I wasn't sure if it counted as night shifts or what, but the more time she worked, the more money she made.
I estimated her monthly salary was around 80 gold. That was about 8 million won, meaning her annual salary was nearly 100 million won.
Does that sound expensive? Not even close. Adelia was a talent among talents, having even served as a martial arts assistant instructor at the Academy. If anything, this kind of salary was on the cheaper side.
"Dave. How much is your monthly salary right now?"
"Me? My base is about 100 gold, but if you include hazard pay and everything else, it easily goes over 150."
"What about you, Nicole?"
"I'm still an apprentice, so 70 gold. But in reality, it ends up being over 100 gold."
Compared to the salaries of my brother and sister, who had joined the Navy Knights, you could see how cheap Adelia's was. To begin with, Adelia was a skilled individual on par with Nicole.
Furthermore, since her skills were improving day by day through my father's special training, her value would naturally rise.
She was willingly taking a loss just to stay by my side. At that thought, I looked at Adelia's face.
When our eyes met, Adelia’s cheeks flushed, and she silently bowed her head. With her dignity and cuteness coexisting, she was radiating her own unique charm.
Chatting harmoniously like that, we finally arrived at the mansion. Dave and Nicole were the first to head to their bedrooms to shed their stifling uniforms.
I was also about to head to my room to unwind from the day's excitement.
"Adelia. You haven't forgotten our promise, have you?"
"Huh?"
Marie called out to Adelia, mentioning a "promise." When I looked at Adelia, her face turned beet red in an instant.
"I should help with this. Isaac, Marie, you two go on ahead."
It wasn't just Marie; Cecile was the same. She gave a playful eye-smile and rubbed her hands together with her characteristic mischievous grin.
Anyone could see they were up to something. Come to think of it, I knew they had stepped away this morning to discuss something among themselves.
"..."
On the other hand, Adelia didn't say a word, her lips just trembling. She was clearly trying to suppress her embarrassment while glancing at me.
Regardless, Cecile dragged Adelia away by the arm. A look of pure anticipation for the fun to come was plastered across her face.
And so, with Adelia and Cecile gone, only Marie and I were left. I looked at Marie with a confused expression.
Marie looked at my face, let out a sigh, and grumbled.
"Sigh. Honestly... where else in the world would you find a wife as kind and good-hearted as me?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Never mind. You just go wash up and wait in your bedroom. I have something else to do for a moment."
"Um... okay."
There were suspicious circumstances all around, but I let it go for now. The night was long, after all.
And that night...
"Hello, Young Master. Did you have a comfortable day today?"
"...Adele?"
It was completely unexpected.
"You must have had a long and tiring day. It is the duty of an exclusive maid to relieve that fatigue."
In a truly different form...
"To-tonight, I will personally... p-provide... night service..."
"..."
"I-I will attend to you."
She came to me.
