บท 84: Successful Opening... or was it?
(Arthur POV)
I watched in awe as humans, dwarves, and demons swarmed into the Hellfire Theme Park. There must've been hundreds of them, but the place was big enough to swallow them all up.
I could've made a fortune off these folks, at least a few thousand bucks. But I decided to let 'em in for free. The newspaper ads were good and all, but I knew word-of-mouth was where the real magic happened.
If these people had a blast at the Hellfire Theme Park, they'd tell everyone they knew. That kind of organic marketing? You can't put a price on it.
For the Shire, I got clever. Hired a bunch of half-human, half-dwarf actors to play "Hobbits".
Funny thing is, after "Lord of the Rings" blew up, people started calling all half-human, half-dwarves "Hobbits" in real life.
Over in mini-Isengard, we had orcs running around playing Saruman's army. The Orthanc Tower wasn't as tall as in the film, but you could actually go inside and climb to the top. Up there, I had a human actor playing Saruman.
The guy who played Saruman in the movie? Way outta my budget now.
In another corner, we had mini-Rivendell. Elven actors cost an arm and a leg, so I only managed to snag a few to hang around there.
The Hellfire Theme Park somehow managed to cram all these iconic "Lord of the Rings" places into one spot.
It wasn't easy making everything fit, but we pulled it off by dividing the park into different sections. We didn't build every little detail - just enough to sell the illusion.
A bit of Rivendell here, a slice of Isengard there. It might've been smaller than in the movie, but it looked real enough to make you feel like you'd stepped right into Middle-earth.
***
(3rd Person POV)
As visitors entered the Hellfire Theme Park, most had tempered expectations. After all, the newspapers had made it clear that the breathtaking scenes from "Lord of the Rings" were just illusions crafted in the so-called "Hellfire VFX Studio". But as they stepped inside, their eyes widened in surprise.
Walking into the Shire, they found themselves surrounded by "Hobbits" going about their daily business. The iconic elements of Hobbiton were all there - from the cozy hobbit holes with their round doors to the Party Tree standing tall in the center of the village.
While it may not have been as perfect as the film version, the replica was real enough to make visitors feel like they'd stepped onto the set of "Lord of the Rings". It wasn't just the physical scenery that sold the illusion, but the atmosphere as well.
The Hobbit actors seemed genuinely uncomfortable with the throng of visitors invading their peaceful hamlet. This discomfort, however, only added to the authenticity of the experience. Visitors felt like they were truly intruding on the daily lives of these shy, home-loving creatures.
This was all part of Arthur's grand design. He had instructed the actors to behave as real Hobbits would when faced with an unexpected influx of outsiders.
"Can I have a picture with you, Mr. Hobbit?" a young demon child asked, tugging at her parents' hands.
The Hobbit actor furrowed his brow, looking conflicted. "Err... Kid, I'm quite busy, perhaps-"
"Please?" the little demon monkey pleaded, her eyes wide and hopeful.
The Hobbit sighed dramatically. "Oh, alright then." His apparent helplessness in the face of the child's request drew laughter from the onlooking crowd.
Encouraged by this success, another child piped up, "Me too, Mr. Hobbit!"
The actor's face contorted into an exaggerated expression of dilemma, eliciting more chuckles from the gathered visitors.
As word spread of the Hobbit's amusing reactions, more and more people clamored for pictures, creating a comical scene that perfectly captured the essence of the shy, somewhat bewildered Hobbits encountering the outside world.
Meanwhile, in the mini-Isengard section, the orcs playing Saruman's army were really getting into their roles. The crowd eyed them with obvious disdain or fear, which didn't go unnoticed by the actors.
"Why're they lookin' at us like that?" one orc grumbled to his buddy. "Didn't boss Arthur say we'd be welcomed with open arms after the film?"
His friend shook his head. "Nah, you've got it all wrong. Look over there." He pointed towards their orc chief.
They turned to see their leader surrounded by excited visitors, all clamoring for pictures and autographs.
"See? People are warming up to us," the second orc said, a hint of pride in his voice.
Before the orcs could dwell on why they were being avoided, visitors began approaching them for pictures too.
Gradually, they realized it wasn't that people disliked them - they just didn't approve of orcs siding with Saruman or Sauron from "Lord of the Rings".
An elf even offered some unsolicited advice: "Choose the right side, orc. Evil doesn't always win, you know. Look at the demons now - they used to be considered evil, but these days they can't hold a candle to other races."
The orcs found themselves on the receiving end of impromptu lectures, especially from the elves, leaving them more than a little confused.
"Where's Saruman?" a human demanded, interrupting an orc mid-photo with a dwarf. "I want to challenge him to a magic duel!"
The orcs exchanged bewildered glances, unsure whether to stay in character or break the fourth wall to explain the situation. This wasn't quite the warm welcome they'd been expecting.
At the top of Orthanc Tower, the human actor playing Saruman stood before a mysterious orb, mic hidden nearby. He intoned gibberish meant to sound like spells, adding to the mystical atmosphere.
Beneath the orb, concealed from view, a projector displayed scenes from "Lord of the Rings" - specifically, Gandalf and company battling a snowstorm while crossing the Misty Mountains.
This sight riled up the visitors, especially a young but burly, bearded dwarf who foolishly believed 'Saruman' was actually attacking Gandalf.
"You will not succeed, Saruman!" the dwarf bellowed.
"What are you do-" The actor couldn't finish his sentence before a fist connected with his face. "Gah!"
The crowd's reaction was mixed - some chuckled, others cheered the dwarf on, many feeling a sense of vicarious revenge for Gandalf.
More level-headed visitors rushed to restrain the dwarf and help the actor to his feet.
"You... you despicable dwarf!" the actor sputtered, pointing accusingly.
"You deserve it!" the young dwarf shot back. "Attacking Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn, and Gimli with your snowstorm spell!"
The commotion drew the attention of the demon managing the mini-Isengard section, who quickly explained to the young dwarf that everything was just for show.
Red-faced, the dwarf mumbled an embarrassed apology to the actor.
Similar incidents popped up throughout the Hellfire Theme Park. While the opening was rocky by some standards, it was undeniably a huge success. Many visitors felt as if they'd stepped right into the world of "Lord of the Rings".
***
(Arthur POV)
As the sun dipped below the horizon and the "Hellfire Theme Park" shut its gates for the night, I found myself buried in a mountain of reports. My financial guy was practically salivating as he rattled off the potential profits we could've raked in if we hadn't gone with the free admission. I couldn't deny it was a pretty penny, but sometimes you've got to spend money to make money, right?
What really caught my attention, though, were the incident reports. Seems our actors had a rougher day than expected. A bunch of orcs came to me, grumbling about getting punched or nearly barbecued by overzealous visitors throwing fireballs.
"Boss," one of them said, nursing a bruised arm, "I thought you said we'd be welcomed with open arms after the film?"
I winced, feeling a pang of guilt. "I know, I know. Look, I'll make it right. How about a bonus for your trouble? And don't worry about the medical bills - I've got you covered."
Their eyes lit up at that, and I couldn't help but feel they'd earned it, putting up with that mess.
And the one who complained the most, his pride obviously bruised, was the human actor playing Saruman.
He stormed into my office, sporting a nasty black eye. His face was a mess of bruises, and his usually pristine white hair looked like it had been through a windstorm.
"This is outrageous!" he fumed, gesturing wildly. "I was assaulted! By a dwarf, no less! Do you have any idea-"
"Whoa, whoa," I held up my hands, trying not to let my amusement show. "Slow down. Start from the beginning."
As he ranted, I couldn't help but feel a mix of genuine pity and, well, amusement. I mean, who'd have thought people would be dumb enough to mistake this guy for the actual Saruman? Sure, he had the fake beard and dyed white hair, but he looked nothing like the actor from my film.
"Look," I said when he finally paused for breath, "I get it. This isn't what you signed up for. How about we sweeten the deal a bit? A fat bonus, full medical coverage, and a little something extra for your trouble. What do you say?"
He eyed me suspiciously for a moment before his shoulders slumped. "Fine," he muttered, some of the fight going out of him. "But if this happens again..."
"It won't," I assured him, hoping I wasn't making a promise I couldn't keep.
As he left, looking somewhat mollified, I couldn't help but shake my head. What a day. But you know what? Despite the chaos, the punches thrown, and the singed eyebrows, I couldn't deny it - we'd pulled it off. The Hellfire Theme Park was officially open for business, and if today was any indication, we were in for one hell of a ride.
บท 85: Incredible skills
(Arthur POV)
A few days have passed since the "Hellfire Theme Park" opened its gates, and the profits are rolling in faster than I can count. Tens of thousands of dollars, just like that. The park's popularity in the Morningstar Kingdom has skyrocketed beyond my wildest dreams.
Tourists are flocking to Grass City, drawn by the allure of our Middle-earth attractions. The elves, in particular, can't get enough of our mini-Rivendell. Word's even reached their media outlets, with headlines screaming about how Rivendell exists in real life. Talk about free advertising - we've got elves pouring in by the boatload.
Of course, I had to make some adjustments after that chaotic opening day. Hired a bunch of behemoth demons as security to keep our actors safe from over-enthusiastic visitors. Yeah, we had to plaster the place with signs saying "Fake Scene," "Fake Spell," and "Fake Blood."
Might take away from the immersion a bit, but it's better than having another Saruman incident. Keeps the gullible ones from getting too carried away.
The success of 'Lord of the Rings' has earned me an impressive 24.75 million entertainment points.
That's way more than "The Demonfather" ever brought in, which just goes to show how much more popular and impressive "Lord of the Rings" has been.
The box office numbers back this up. We hit 330 million dollars yesterday. The entertainment system's data breaks it down like this: about 44 million tickets sold in the Morningstar Kingdom at 2 dollars a pop. Another 22.5 million tickets went to other countries and kingdoms at the same price.
In the western countries and kingdoms, where tickets go for 3 dollars, we've sold about 66.67 million. According to the {Entertainment System Film Statistics Data}, a total of 132.17 million people have bought tickets and watched the film.
For each viewer, I earn 0.1 points if they're casual fans, 0.2 if they love and adore the film, and a sweet 0.3 points for those who are completely obsessed. With numbers like these, it's no wonder the points are piling up so fast.
My total entertainment points from "Lord of the Rings," "The Demonfather," and "Hellfire Theme Park" have hit a whopping 34.40 million. With this kind of points, I could finally snag some of those impressive skills from the {Magical Shop} that'd give my directing a serious boost.
One skill that caught my eye was "Atmosphere Control," priced at 10 million entertainment points.
[Atmosphere Control: Allowed the user to control the area's atmosphere, adjusting lighting, temperature, and background ambience. (Require mana per use: 20)]
[It can be leveled up with use.]
At first glance, it might not seem like much, but the potential is insane. As a director, I could use this to elevate every scene in my films.
Who knows? If I level it up enough, I might even control the atmosphere of an entire city. Imagine adjusting the temperature, making city folk dance to my tune, turning them into actors under my directorial strings— Whoa. Getting a bit carried away there.
It's an ambitious dream, sure, but why not? I went ahead and bought the {Atmosphere Control}.
Then there was this other skill in the {Skill Shop} called {Cinematic Vision}, worth 5 million entertainment points.
[Cinematic Vision: As a director, you can visualize how scenes will appear in the final cut, complete with editing, special effects, and sound design. This foresight allows you to make on-the-spot adjustments to enhance the scene.]
I bought that one too. The moment I did, I was hit with a wave of flashbacks from filming "The Demonfather" and "Lord of the Rings." After the mental replay, I couldn't help but shake my head.
"I didn't think I could film it like that," I sighed, feeling a twinge of regret. But what's done is done.
I'm now down 15 million points.
After purchasing a skill that cost me 15 million entertainment points, the system unlocked higher-level skills that I can now buy.
Scrolling through the list, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. There was {Time Rewind}—and yeah, it does exactly what you'd think—for a cool 100 million points. Then there's {Voice of Command}, a skill that can order someone against their will, for 30 million points.
The more I scrolled, the more impressed I got. "I need to gain more points!" I muttered, shifting my focus to completing my first computer. Probably this world's first decent computer, at that.
***
(Lucy Morningstar POV)
I've got to hand it to that younger brother of mine, Arthur — he's been unexpectedly helpful. The tax revenue from his film alone is significant, giving a real boost to the kingdom's development. Not to mention, it's done wonders for funding my own luxurious lifestyle. Those super rare potions I've been eyeing? Finally within reach, and they've helped increase my magical abilities more than ever before.
But I didn't just sit on that money. The moment I saw the first day's box office results for "Lord of the Rings," I knew we were in for another tourism boom, just like with "The Demonfather." So I made a calculated decision to invest heavily in our entertainment venues — the amusement parks, circuses, the whole lot.
Even though I haven't seen the film myself yet, I know it was shot right here in the kingdom. That's why I've poured about 70 percent of the film tax earnings — not just from "Lord of the Rings," mind you — into these entertainment investments.
And wouldn't you know it? My instincts were spot on. In just the first few weeks, our kingdom's entertainment venues are already profiting from the surge in tourism. Looking at the latest financial reports, I estimate I'll recoup my entire investment in these parks and circuses within the next two weeks.
Lord Vermilion burst into my office — his habit of barging in without knocking making me frown. "What is it this time?"
The economic advisor cleared his throat before speaking, "Your Highness, we have a bit of a... problem."
My frown deepened. "Out with it."
Lord Vermilion coughed nervously. "Red Berry, the overseer of our entertainment venues, is here to discuss some concerns."
"Send him in," I said curtly.
Red Berry, the scale demon who managed our entertainment industry, slunk in with fear written all over his face.
"What's the issue, Berry?"
Red hesitated before blurting out, "Your Highness, I'll be blunt. Our earnings from the entertainment venues are declining."
I waved dismissively. "That's to be expected. The hype from that 'Lord of the Rings' film is dying down, so naturally, tourism is tapering off."
"It's not that simple, Your Highness," Red shook his head. "We've got competition."
"Competition?" I raised an eyebrow.
Lord Vermilion chimed in, "He's referring to the exiled prince's new Hellfire Theme Park. It's similar to our venues but on a grander scale, capable of hosting thousands of visitors simultaneously."
Red nodded vigorously. "Exactly. People are flocking there instead of our attractions. The ex-prince's film hype isn't fading — it's intensifying."
"And if this trend continues," Lord Vermilion added gravely, "it'll be challenging for Your Highness to recoup your investments in the entertainment industry within the expected timeframe."
As I listened, I felt anger building inside me. I'd thought everything was going according to plan — who would have guessed that damn Arthur would throw a wrench in my grand investment scheme?
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