Chapter 53
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Immortal Loyal Retainers (2)
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Originally, no matter how idiotic an idea was, you needed that frontier spirit of "let's do it right now."
After taking a moment to gauge just how far a play's special effects could push the boundaries of sheer nonsense...
"Please go in carefully."
"You too, Author! It was so much fun today!"
In the final ten minutes, after the tragic reunion of the hero and the princess unfolded, I bid farewell to Roselin, who had been using my clothes as tissues.
And then, straight into market research.
"How to make a magical theater production?"
The Novelpia business card turned out to be surprisingly effective, so the troupe member shared relevant info without spilling any real secrets.
First, prepare a mage with a vivid imagination.
Then, pour a fortune into securing a mana supply source.
"Practically speaking, that right there eats up most of the production costs."
"Ah, got it."
Magical theater, huh.
It was a horrific naming sense that made you feel like you had to serve magical duty instead of national service.
"Our troupe leader is the inventor and leading authority on magical theater. That very production you just saw was designed by the leader himself."
The explainer puffed out their chest proudly.
"But then, does every performance require a magical mage and a magical supply source?"
Ah, damn it.
Magical got stuck on my tongue.
"No! Once a stage is designed, it's imprinted with the earth's memory so it can keep running indefinitely. You only need to set it up properly once. Of course, it still needs mana for each show."
I see.
So, in short.
To create the magical Admiral Yi Sun-sin, I'd need a ton of money and mana.
.
.
.
To share my magical mishmash idea and solicit investment, I headed straight to Chloe.
I figured she'd flash that magical young lady smile, go "Oho, that's awesome-desu, let's push it right now-desu," as expected.
"Uh, um, ehm, magical theater? With the troupe leader too?"
"Yeah. I looked into it, and there are already quite a few plays based on novels. It's not for my own selfish gains or riches—it's worth a shot for Novelpia's revival, don't you think?"
"Uh, um, ehm, th-that's kind of tricky-desu?"
Unexpectedly.
Even after ditching Hector for the 24-hour skill swap cooldown and borrowing all the power of Hermes and Cicero...
Chloe was sweating bullets, desperately averting her eyes from me.
Like a can of Pringles with only one refill left, eaten solo at midnight, then denying it with a straight face.
In other words.
She was guilty of something. Highly suspicious.
"Eek!"
With the magical gesture that summons truth, I pinned Chloe down, and once again, she let out a dumb squeal while trembling all over.
I think this every time.
I'm not even pulling that hard, but she overreacts so much.
Which made the feedback feel even better, though.
"What are you doiiing-desuwaaahhh──"
I yanked her ears wildly until she lost all language skills.
"Hyuk, ugh, th-the truth is, this lady has a bit of a bad relationship with the troupe leader-desu. Eugh."
Finally, Chloe started confessing with her "The king is godlike" routine.
To sum it up.
They used to be friends, but while elves barely age no matter how many years pass, humans have their limits even with suppression.
So, apparently, she rubbed it in quite a bit right in front of her friend, who was gradually showing the natural signs of time.
And then, the decisive blow.
"Even so, just one word of 'old?' and she scratched that bad, eehiyaaahk── Forgive meee──"
"'Forgive me' is casual speech, you filthy bitch."
"Forgive mee── I'm sorryyy──"
I grabbed both pointy ears side by side and tugged and released the tips back and forth, dispensing justice.
Troupe leader.
Are you watching?
Of course not, probably.
No helping it.
Since it's still in the planning stage, I'd have to spend a week properly outlining the novel draft and adaptation direction, then go confront the troupe leader directly.
If it fails, oh well.
Even as he proceeded with planning and conceptualizing Project Yi Sun-sin...
Kim Yul swallowed his bitterness over parting with Sima Yi and channeled that regret deep into writing even more fervently about the two heroes (one dead).
This was no longer about skills.
It was the resolute determination of a die-hard Three Kingdoms fan to spread its greatness across this fantasy land!
──Not that it was that strong.
- Enough gold... to shower with?
- That's right-desu! A golden shower-desu!
- ?
- Why that face-desu? You're about to feel bad about something-desu.
The moment he heard the projected sales for [Hero Assembly], Kim Yul had already become a slave to capitalism.
If Heavenly Demon Marx down in hell saw Kim Yul's capitalist rampage, he'd probably deliver a proletarian Heavenly Demon punch and make him a hell roommate on the spot.
But luckily, this fantasy land hadn't developed reincarnation arts yet.
Layered onto his writing motivation, he ditched historical accuracy limits.
And even the sweet temptation of massive profits.
Gathering all the energies of the universe, Kim Yul's baton began conducting the grand epic of the Battle of Red Cliffs.
The hope of Cao Cao's navy.
Cai Mao and Zhang Yun from Jingzhou got caught in the wicked Commander Zhou Yu's ploy and turned into headless corpses.
Making readers go "Hm, figures?" in unison, but still, as sudden side characters, they asserted their presence as rivals to Zhuge Liang.
Pang Tong provided the idea of tying up Cao Cao's ships.
The veteran Huang Gai, beaten black and blue, pioneered girly screams while preparing to defect to Cao Cao.
It was a part that could feel boring if the protagonist wasn't highlighted well.
But like gathering tiny salt grains to form an ocean...
Interspersed were scenes of Zhuge Liang ceaselessly calling to the heavens from the Seven Star Altar, praying through the night in his mortal body to conjure the miracle of climate change.
Sometimes from the Wu extras' viewpoint, sometimes from Zhou Yu's, set up like the arch-enemy.
His precarious attempts were depicted with intense urgency, building the drama's tension.
"Well, he's the protagonist, so of course he'll succeed, right?"
"You already forgetting Liu Bei and Cao Cao?"
Paradoxically, Kim Yul's past track record heightened expectations.
Protagonists in his previous serials rode success-failure rollercoasters with every move.
But what about Zhuge Liang?
Without a single failure so far, he'd maintained the ideal advisor image supporting the repeatedly failing Liu Bei.
Even in Wu.
Barring sovereign Sun Quan, he toyed with top dog Zhou Yu using his three-inch tongue, claiming all the benefits.
Would this be Zhuge Liang's first failure? That question fueled reader hype.
And finally.
"Kongming, no matter how brilliant his talents, how could he defy even heaven's will? If the southeast wind doesn't blow by tonight, I'll deal with him by military law."
Zhou Yu swallowed his monologue and stepped out of the tent.
Full darkness had fallen, and the moment the sun rose again in that sky, Zhuge Liang's fate would be sealed.
...He knew it was a shame to kill such talent.
He'd have no face left to see his brother, Zhuge Jin.
However.
He was too extraordinary, too dangerous to keep alive.
If there was one man in the world who could thwart his lord's hegemony and Wu's revival, it would be Zhuge Liang.
The moment Zhou Yu sighed.
"...!"
The air changed.
The wind brushing his cheek shifted direction.
The flapping flags...
Slowly tilted toward the north.
And soon.
Flutter!
"Th-this can't be...!"
The camp flags all whipped around in the opposite direction.
It was the southeast wind. And fierce at that.
Shock turned to terror.
Terror to killing intent.
Zhou Yu's face hardened coldly.
"General Xu Sheng! General Ding Feng!"
At his cry like a scream, Xu Sheng and Ding Feng, waiting nearby, rushed over.
"Go to the Seven Star Altar right now and bring me Zhuge Liang's head! Punish him for breaking military law and bewitching heaven and men with sorcery!"
Xu Sheng and Ding Feng also felt massive awe and wonder as the wind flipped instantly.
But the supreme commander's order was absolute.
The two generals led troops charging toward the Seven Star Altar.
.
.
.
When the two generals reached the riverbank chasing Zhuge Liang...
In the darkness.
A small boat was already gliding away from shore on the river surface.
At the bow stood Zhuge Liang, leisurely fanning himself with his white feather fan.
Exuding dignity as if still crafting the southeast wind with it.
"Advisor Zhuge! Stop! The commander summons you!"
Xu Sheng bellowed.
"Tell the commander this! I've lent you the southeast wind—now I'm heading back to Lord Liu to prepare crushing Cao Cao!"
Xu Sheng and Ding Feng exchanged glances.
They couldn't let him go.
The moment they dashed to the docked speedboats at the dock.
A silver flash plummeted from the sky.
Snow-white silver armor.
A sharp silver spear that chilled the heart just to look at.
At his waist hung the famed sword Greensteel, asserting its presence.
Yes.
Right here, right now──
"Zhao Zilong of Changshan, here to escort the advisor."
(Continued next chapter)
"Yessss Zilonggg! I believed in youuu!"
Crash!
"Oops."
After Reader No. 1 Esthea, cowed by Kim Yul's threat of "bully me once more and I'll snap my pen," swung her spear wildly in excitement and shattered a cup.
"As expected! Of Zhuge Liang-desuwaaah!"
Even while suffering physical pinches along with the emotional ones from the novel, Reader No. 2, Editor, Publisher President, and Sucker Chloe cheered wildly.
Since the Battle of Zhangpan where they shone on the field.
The heart-stirring reunion of the Zhuge Liang-Zhao Yun duo at the most dramatic moment, after not teaming up for a while...
Had rocked the hearts of imperial citizens in just days.
"Spend 4 cost to drop Silver Spear Zhao Yun on the field, then another 1 cost to use the Adou on the board to buff Zhao Yun's stats── Why the look?"
"...When the hell did you add Zhao Yun to your deck?"
"Heh heh heh. Money buys anything. Bought him for a few dozen gold?"
"He's over a hundred gold now?"
"What?"
The used SSR Silver Spear Zhao Yun card price skyrocketed insanely.
"Interviewee. Why do you want to learn magic?"
"Obviously to summon the southeast wind!"
"...? You want climate magic? As a mere human?"
"Zhuge Liang! Did it!"
"Drag them out."
At the Mage Tower Imperial Capital branch, wind school's popularity surged like a storm.
Naturally, the ripple reached the capital guard.
"Spear arts! Let's train spear arts!"
"Are you idiots crazy?"
Legios spat venom but slyly eyed the spear on his desk.
And soon after.
"So that's why you hyped the empire's No. 2."
"At this rate, Wei and Cao Cao are basically done..."
"The scheming villain's ambitions crushed, and the would-be No. 2 can't even flex his power lust."
At Cao Cao’s devastating defeat at Red Cliffs.
Fans who'd grown fond of his dominant side in the "hidden ambitions villain" arc sighed in unison.
He didn't know the land's size, but per author canon, most of the million-man army drowned.
Only Cao Cao fleeing with a few thousand remained.
Of course, fantasy land folks lacked real China geography knowledge, unaware of Hebei's endless reinforcements, so it was feasible.
Even with that background.
Current Cao Cao was the fallen king incarnate, a mere has-been wailing "love leads only to ruin" after chasing married women.
And finally.
The original SSR-tier general whose presence had faded lately.
Just before Guan Yu descended on Huayong Road to deliver Cao Cao's finishing blow.
"I'm Kim Yul, who contacted you recently."
"Ah! Ulysses! I've been waiting."
Thanks to Red Cliffs' halo, Kim Yul finally met the troupe leader.