章 2: Ch. 2: Actor
The clamorous footsteps of passersby thundered loudly, pounding the streets with an erratic rhythm. His throbbing, aching head felt increasingly torturous amidst the din.
The hustle and bustle of Backlund City assailed Percival's ears.
Percival walked hunched over, his tired gaze downcast. He staggered forward, both hands clutching his head that felt like it would burst.
His eyes slowly drifted to the right. He noticed two old men.
"Heavy blow to the industry, all the major factories leveled," one hissed, wearing a rounded cap.
The bald old man beside him nodded. "Same with the University of Technology, the building was demolished."
Percival held his throbbing head, trying to ignore their conversation.
Soon after, their discussion abruptly shifted, causing Percival to specifically listen to their words slightly.
"Hey, did you hear about the Thief?" the capped man whispered, leaning towards his friend's ear.
"Word is he struck again last night! My neighbor is now one of his victims!"
The bald man squinted. "Really?"
"The bastard! If I catch him, I'll beat him to a pulp! Death isn't enough to atone for his sins. I'll smash his face, pull out all his nails, and gouge his eyes with a fork! I'll make him regret being alive in this world!
"Everyone's life is hard enough due to the war's aftermath. Yet he still finds ways to make people suffer!"
Percival inadvertently turned towards them. His eyes narrowed, staring intently at the two old men who immediately fell silent.
They stared back at him, but said nothing. Their gazes seemed a mix of suspicion and bewilderment, then they began whispering among themselves again, heads bowed.
And Percival... could not catch their whispered words.
Percival sighed deeply, continuing his unsteady gait.
During his journey, he came across new buildings under construction, replacing those destroyed.
Seeing that reminded him of Backlund University of Technology and Industry, his campus, which had also borne the brunt and was now undergoing renovations. In its stead, he had to attend lectures at another facility.
It was indeed difficult adapting to the current situation. Truly, not easy...
Fortunately, he had arrived a bit late to campus that day, sparing him from the horrific incident. Just being granted a chance at life, he was grateful.
Dwelling on memories that now lay in ruins only served to torment him further.
Now he closed his eyes. Looked upwards, gazing at the darkening grey skies.
It looked like it might rain...
Then, he turned his head.
Percival's gaze fixed upon a distant building - a house with cracked walls that seized his attention.
His eyes seemed vacant, as if piercing through time and dimensions with a wistful stare longing for the shades of a past now lost.
His lips curved into a bitter smile, mocking himself.
Home...
He remembered his previous life.
At this moment, raindrops dampened his face and spattered through his hair.
He looked up.
The world was crying.
...
Stepping out of the carriage, Viktor beheld a grand, luxurious theater standing before him, unscathed by the ravages of war. He was well-groomed, his short brown hair combed to the side, his face cleanly shaven.
Dressed in a formal black suit, he walked alongside Ellen.
"Ah, it's been so long since I last came here."
"That's because you've been too preoccupied with yourself, forgetting to have fun," Ellen smirked, her hair braided.
"Who dares make such a claim? I find enjoyment in everything I do," Viktor defended himself.
Ellen clicked her tongue. "All you've been doing lately is taking notes, conversing with those fishy-smelling elders, then sneaking into black markets. I fail to see how that's fun."
"Preparing for an adventure is part of the thrill itself," Viktor said softly as they reached the entrance, where a guard stood sentry, allowing them to pass.
Approaching the reception desk, Ellen spoke to a woman to confirm the start time of the performance. They had purchased tickets by instructing a servant beforehand. She then returned to Viktor with a smile. "Let's see how this story unfolds. I haven't read the novel, but I hope there's only a few clichéd scenes and dialogues. Consuming too many of those could kill me."
"Shouldn't you have heard reviews from one of your friends?" Viktor raised a brow. As a nobleman's daughter, Ellen attended daily gatherings with upper-class ladies. During those, entertainment topics like novels, music, plays, and more were frequently discussed.
Of course, there were some political discussions, as that was the ultimate purpose of their meetings, but they were rarely overt, played subtly instead.
"Of course," Ellen nodded, "but sometimes they exaggerate to protect the writer's image. That's why, if I set my expectations too high, I fear being disappointed."
"You speak as if the world is ending over this," Viktor chuckled as they headed into the auditorium.
"Not the world ending, but my time being wasted needlessly," Ellen lamented.
All you do each day is gather with them and engage in trivial conversations, how is that not a waste of time... Viktor felt amused at the thought, but did not voice it aloud, for this was the life of a noble lady, especially unmarried maidens.
Even married women maintained this lifestyle, as it had seeped into their culture like water into a sponge. However, Viktor held no interest in such matters, so he dismissed his musings upon seeing the audience seats filling up.
"It seems rather popular," Viktor whispered down to his sister with a slight bow, then smirked, "so you can raise your expectations a little, can't you?"
"I'm not one to change my mind so quickly," Ellen scoffed.
Taking their seats in the second row from the front, Viktor waited patiently while surveying his surroundings. As someone born in the modern era, Viktor followed the majority who had never attended live stage plays, previously only ever watching wide-screen films with popcorn in hand.
For some reason, he never had an interest in witnessing them, perhaps fearing he would feel ridiculous watching the actors' performances live, especially if filled with cheesy effects.
But upon delving into the real Viktor's memories, stage theaters did not seem as bad as he'd assumed - they were quite enjoyable and certainly worth the anticipation and viewing.
After a few minutes of silence, Ellen whispered, "It's finally starting."
The red curtain concealing the stage was suddenly bathed in light from within. Then it opened, revealing the actors dressed in archaic noble attire, with ornate castle-like and artificial tree set pieces.
The audience, along with Viktor and Ellen, applauded as the atmosphere seemed to shift into eager anticipation.
While watching this play, Viktor initially had no expectations, merely seeking enjoyable entertainment. But then, minute by minute, as the actors spoke and displayed their emotions...
Viktor knew they were not true nobles, yet they portrayed their roles remarkably. From graceful or assertive gaits, commanding speech, to highly expressive visages.
They skillfully drew the audience into the performance.
At this point, everyone save the actors fell silent, utterly engrossed in the unfolding tale.
An intense middle act was showcased, eliciting raucous cheers and applause from the enthralled audience, Viktor and Ellen included. They smiled, then Viktor inquired,
"Who are the man and woman playing the lead roles? I didn't know there were actors like them."
"I'm not too sure," Ellen smiled, "but rumor has it they're newcomers. The man is Travis Hubner and the woman Margarette Scott. Their acting is so superb it quickly propelled them to popularity."
"If all actors were like them, I'd visit every theater in this city," Viktor praised.
"It's a great pity talents like theirs are so rare," Ellen concluded as the performance entered a new act, and watching those people act again made Viktor reluctantly agree.
Talents like theirs were indeed exceedingly rare.
***
A/N: If you want to read the 7 advanced chapters with a faster update frequency than the webnovel, you can read it on my patreon whose link is below:
https://www.pâtreon.com/Junxt
Replace "â" with "a" and search for it in your browser.
By the way, don't forget to throw a power stone and leave a review to motivate me :)
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JuNn_
JuNn_ A/N: If you want to read the 7 advanced chapters with a faster update frequency than the webnovel, you can read it on my patreon whose link is below:
https://www.pâtreon.com/Junxt
Replace "â" with "a" and search for it in your browser.
By the way, don't forget to throw a power stone and leave a review to motivate me :)
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