บท 41: Solution
(Arthur POV)
I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples as I tried to ward off an impending headache.
Planning this next film was proving to be more challenging than I'd anticipated.
"The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" needed a specific kind of backdrop - something reminiscent of Empirica's Frontier Age. We needed vast, dusty plains, craggy mountains, and sun-baked towns that looked like they'd sprouted from the very earth. The kind of place where you could almost taste the lawlessness in the air, where the line between hero and outlaw blurred like a mirage on the horizon.
I'd thought about using the Ashen Plains again, but... no. It wasn't even close to what we needed.
My team had been working tirelessly, going through the proper channels to get permission to film in Empirica itself. But after days of back-and-forth, mountains of paperwork, and enough ass-kissing to make my jaw ache, we got our answer: a resounding "no."
I sighed, the weight of rejection settling on my shoulders. Deep down, I'd known this would happen. The government of Empirica, steeped in their Solarus faith, hated me. The success of "The Demonfather" had only made things worse.
Speaking of which, I couldn't help but chuckle bitterly as I recalled the latest batch of magazines and newspapers I'd read. The headlines were getting more hysterical by the day:
"'Demonfather' Popularity in Empirica Alarming - Government Considers Ban"
"Solarus Faith Leaders Condemn 'Blasphemous' Demon Film"
"Is 'The Demonfather' Corrupting Our Youth?"
I shook my head, remembering some of the more... creative criticism. One particularly spiteful article had declared, "The Demonfather is surely Arthur Morningstar's first and last success. A one-hit wonder if ever there was one."
Even some demon newspapers and magazines were jumping on the bandwagon, eager to predict my downfall.
Part of me wanted to laugh. Another part wanted to scream. But mostly, I felt a deep, burning determination. They thought "The Demonfather" was a fluke? They thought I couldn't do it again?
I'd show them. We'd find a way to make this film, with or without Empirica's blessing.
I paced back and forth, my mind racing. How could we create the perfect backdrop for our project? The Ashen Plains were close, but not quite there. We needed something more... controllable.
Suddenly, it hit me like a ton of bricks. A big studio. No, scratch that - a massive studio.
The Ashen Plains couldn't completely capture what I had in mind, but what if we could build our own interior sets? We could design every establishment, every dusty street corner to match the vision in my head. We'd still use the Ashen Plains for some exterior shots - there were a few spots that were pretty close to what we needed - but the bulk of our filming could be done in a controlled environment.
It would be a mix of interior and exterior filming. And now, with me having millions of dollars scattered across various banks in the kingdom, we could actually pull this off.
Energized by the idea, I stood up and looked over at my team. They were huddled in small groups, deep in discussion about our predicament. Time to shake things up.
I clapped my hands sharply. "Guys, hear me out for a sec."
Heads turned, conversations died down. All eyes were on me, a mix of curiosity and apprehension in their gazes.
I took a deep breath. "I've got an idea. It's a bit... out there, but I think it could work." I paused for effect, then dropped the bomb. "We're going to buy a massive unused building in the city and convert it into our very own studio."
For a moment, there was silence. Then the room erupted.
"A whole building?" George sputtered, his beard quivering in disbelief.
"Our own studio?" Klein's eyes were as wide as saucers.
Lilith, ever practical, cut through the chatter. "Boss, that's... that's a huge undertaking. Are you sure we can pull it off?"
I nodded, a grin spreading across my face. "I know it sounds crazy, but think about it. We'd have complete control over our sets. We could build exactly what we need, down to the last detail."
I could see the idea starting to take hold. The initial shock was wearing off, replaced by excitement and possibility.
"We've got the funds now," I continued, warming to my theme. "We can make this happen. Just imagine - Hellfire Studios, with its own massive production space. We'd be the envy of every filmmaker in the kingdom."
The energy in the room was palpable now. My team was buzzing with ideas, already discussing potential locations and set designs.
I held up my hands, calling for quiet. "I know it's a big step. It'll be a lot of work. But I believe in us. We made 'The Demonfather' with scraps and determination. Just think what we can do with real resources."
As I looked around at my team, I saw nods of agreement, eyes shining with excitement. We were in this together, ready to take on the world.
Riding the wave of enthusiasm, I decided to strike while the iron was hot. "Alright," I said, clapping my hands together. "Time to put this plan into action. I need you all to scout for a massive building we can convert. Think big - maybe a grand theatre that's fallen on hard times, or better yet, an unused arena."
I could see confusion on some faces, so I elaborated. "You know, one of those big arenas they use for those flashy martial arts tournaments or magical duels."
A chorus of "Ohhs" rippled through the group as understanding dawned.
"You mean like the Crimson Colosseum?" Lilith piped up. "Where they host the Annual Sword and Sorcery Spectacular?"
I nodded, a grin spreading across my face. "That's right! Those kinds of places."
For those who didn't grow up in this world, these arenas were a big deal. They hosted everything from knightly sword-fighting tournaments to high-stakes magical duels. It's like a cross between a Roman gladiator arena and a modern-day sports stadium, but with more fireballs and flying swords.
In these events, knights would clash in spectacular sword fights, their enchanted blades ringing out as they connected. Mages would face off in spell-slinging competitions, trying to outdo each other with increasingly potent and flashy magic. It was a spectacle of skill, strength, and arcane power that never failed to draw massive crowds.
"These events are hugely popular," I continued, "but there might be some older arenas out there that have fallen out of use. Maybe they're too small for the big leagues now, or they're in need of repairs. That's what we're looking for - something with good bones that we can reshape to fit our needs."
I could see the wheels turning in my team's heads. They were starting to envision the possibilities.
"Now, I know it sounds like a tall order," I admitted, "but think about it. These places are already designed to accommodate large crowds and host spectacular events. With some renovations, we could turn one into the perfect film studio."
George scratched his beard thoughtfully. "We'd need to build sets, install lighting rigs..."
"Exactly," I nodded. "But we'd have the space to do it all. We could create our own little world inside those walls."
Klein's eyes lit up. "We could even use some of the existing structures! Like, if there's a VIP box, we could turn that into a saloon for our frontier town!"
I pointed at him, grinning. "Now you're getting it! That's the kind of creative thinking we need."
The excitement in the room was palpable now. Everyone was chattering, throwing out ideas and suggestions.
I held up my hands for quiet. "Alright, alright. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. First things first - we need to find this place. So, I want you all to start scouting. Check out every unused building, every old arena, every structure that might fit the bill. Talk to real estate agents, chat up locals, follow every lead you can find."
บท 42: The Demonfather positive effect to kingdom's economy
(Arthur POV)
Two days and a small fortune later, I found myself buried under a mountain of photographs. I'd sent out a small army of photographers to capture every unused arena and theater in the city. Now, surrounded by their work, I was beginning to wonder if I'd bitten off more than I could chew.
Most of the options were... less than ideal, to put it mildly. Some were too small, barely able to fit a decent-sized set, let alone all the equipment we'd need. Others were in such a state of disrepair that renovating them would cost more than building from scratch. A few were architecturally impressive but completely impractical for our needs - all style and no substance, like a pompous noble with an empty head.
I tossed aside another stack of photos with a sigh. This was starting to feel like a wild goose chase.
But then, buried beneath a pile of disappointing prospects, I found it. An arena just on the outskirts of the cheap district, not far from where we were now. It was massive, with sweeping arches and enough space to build a small village inside. The structure was sound, if a bit weathered. It was perfect.
Curious, I dug deeper into its history. Turns out, this place used to be quite famous back in the day. The magazines had covered it extensively - not for its grand battles or spectacular events, but for its... specter residents.
That's right. The place was supposedly haunted.
I couldn't help but laugh. Even demons, creatures of darkness and chaos, were spooked by a few measly ghosts.
But their loss was my gain. Because of its spooky reputation, the arena was going for a mere 200,000 dollars. Compared to the other options, which were selling for upwards of half a million or more, it was a steal.
My mind made up, I gathered the crew to share the news. "Ladies, gentlemen, and assorted creatures of the night," I announced, holding up the photo of our soon-to-be studio space, "I give you the newest addition to Hellfire Studios!"
The reactions were... mixed, to say the least. There was excitement, sure, but also more than a few nervous glances and muttered concerns about restless spirits.
I waved off their worries. "Ghosts, demons, what's the difference? We're making movie here. A few spooks will just add to the ambiance."
And so, with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, we set off to claim our new domain.
Standing before the arena, I had to admit, the place had a certain gloomy charm. A chill ran down my spine as we approached, but I shrugged it off with a grin. "Look on the bright side," I quipped to no one in particular, "free air conditioning."
As we stepped inside, the sheer scale of the place took our breath away. Massive stone arches soared overhead, and the arena floor stretched out before us like a blank canvas, just waiting for our creative touch.
Sure, there were cobwebs in the corners and the air was thick with dust and who-knows-what-else. But all I could see was potential.
Standing in the middle of our newly acquired arena, I couldn't help but grin. Sure, it looked like a disaster zone now, but in my mind's eye, I could already see the transformation.
The place was a mess, no doubt about it, but I could see its potential. The renovation would be a massive undertaking - we're talking millions of dollars and at least two months of work, if we're lucky. But it would be worth it.
This studio wouldn't just be for "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly." No, I had much bigger plans. The beauty of this space would be its flexibility. In this world of magic, we had opportunities that filmmakers in my past life could only dream of.
I'd already acquired the architectural designs from the system, and they were something else. We're talking about a studio equipped with magical enhancements that would make even the most advanced CGI look like child's play.
Illusion artifacts could create any backdrop we needed, changing our sets in the blink of an eye. With these, we could conjure up entire landscapes - water, mountains, sky, forests - all with the flick of a switch.
For scenes that require a sky, we use the open arena to take advantage of the natural backdrop. If the scene needs to be set during a specific time, like day or night, that doesn't match the current conditions, we can easily adjust it. But for everything else - distant landscapes, fantastical environments, or even just to extend our sets beyond the physical constraints of the arena.
There was a catch, of course. There's always a catch.
The illusions, impressive as they were, had their limitations. We'd need to carefully match the physical ground to the illusory backgrounds, a task that would require no small amount of skill and resources. And then there were the magic cores that powered these artifacts. Those didn't come cheap. In fact, they were downright expensive.
I grimaced, mentally tallying up the costs. The initial renovation was just the beginning. Maintaining this technological marvel would be an ongoing drain on our resources. We'd be burning through magic cores like there was no tomorrow, each one eating into our bottom line.
No other studio - human, elven, or dwarven - would risk this much. They were content with their painted backdrops and practical effects. But then again, they were still thinking in black and white. We were moving into color, and that changed everything.
At the same time, maybe I needed to put "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" on hold for now. With the studio under renovation, it might be smarter to focus on a project we could film without these fancy new facilities.
I found myself scrolling through the Entertainment Shop, looking for stories. We needed something that would keep us in the public eye and, more importantly, keep the money flowing while we waited for our magical studio to be ready. Something that wouldn't require the expensive illusions we were investing in.
***
(Lucy Morningstar POV)
Being the eldest princess of the royal Morningstar family comes with its fair share of responsibilities. Between my duties overseeing tourism and economic development and my studies at the University of Wizardry, I barely have time to breathe. But I manage. I have to.
Lately, my work has been particularly challenging. Our kingdom's economy has been in decline, and tourism numbers have been dropping faster than a stone imp in a flying contest. It's been one headache after another.
So when Lord Vermilion, my chief economic advisor, burst into my study with an unusually chipper expression, I was immediately suspicious.
"Your Highness," he said, practically bouncing on his toes, "I have some rather surprising news."
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Don't keep me in suspense, Vermilion."
He cleared his throat, clearly relishing the moment. "We've seen a rare increase in both tourism and economic investment in the kingdom. It seems we have some new... admirers."
Now he had my full attention. "Admirers? What do you mean?"
Lady Crimson, my head of tourism development, stepped forward. "It appears to be related to a film, Your Highness. 'The Demonfather,' I believe it's called."
I frowned. Between my studies and my duties, I'd been rather out of the loop. "The Demonfather?" I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.
Lord Azura, one of my younger advisors, couldn't contain himself. "You haven't heard of it, Your Highness? It's a masterpiece! The best film I've ever—" He caught himself, shrinking back. "Apologies, I got carried away. I'm... somewhat of a fan."
His enthusiasm piqued my curiosity. "No need to apologize, Azura. Tell me more about this film. What's it about?"
Lady Crimson cleared her throat. "Perhaps more pertinently, Your Highness, you might be interested to know who made it."
I turned to her, intrigued. "Oh? Is it someone I know?"
"In a manner of speaking," she said carefully. "It was made by your brother."
My mind immediately went to Bobby and his endless self-aggrandizing projects. "Bobby's made a good film? That's... unexpected."
"Not Bobby, Your Highness," Lord Vermilion corrected gently. "It was made by the exiled prince. Arthur."
"Arthur?!" I couldn't keep the shock from my voice. My little brother, the one we'd all written off as a failure, had made a film? And not just any film, but one successful enough to impact our kingdom's economy?
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