Chương 190: Winter Day
(3rd Person POV)
On December 3, the Hellfire Network initiated its campaign to present December 25 as a special day.
On Hellfire News, news anchor Alissa's voice carried through television screens across the kingdom. "Did you know there exists a myth about December 25? A tale where a being named 'Santa Claus' bestows gifts upon those who show kindness and decorate their homes with twinkling lights?" She let out a soft laugh at the fantastical notion before continuing, "James Chen brings us more on this story with Righteous Film's studio head, Rayleigh Wang."
The broadcast shifted to James standing beside Rayleigh. "Is there any truth to this myth, Mr. Wang?"
Rayleigh pulled an ancient scroll from his desk drawer. "My research team discovered these historical documents containing the Santa Claus legend - take a look."
The yellowed parchment revealed intricate drawings of a rotund figure dressed in crimson robes, a massive sack slung over one shoulder. Below the illustration, faded text detailed the mythical tale.
"Your mansion's new decorations - were they inspired by this legend?" James inquired.
"Follow me," Rayleigh invited with a smile. The camera tracked their movement until his mansion came into view, its entire facade transformed by countless twinkling lights. The surrounding gardens twinkled just as brightly in the evening air.
"Incredible..." James couldn't hide his amazement.
"I wanted to honor the old traditions," Rayleigh explained. "I've even started giving gifts to others. The legends say such gestures of kindness might bring special blessings."
Back in the studio, Alissa's eyes widened with genuine intrigue. "That's quite something, isn't it? And it seems this Santa Claus legend has captured more attention than we thought..."
She leaned forward, a hint of excitement in her voice. "Even Boss Arthur Pendragon has embraced the tradition." The broadcast cut to sweeping footage of Arthur's estate, where thousands of lights transformed the expansive grounds into a glittering wonderland.
After a commercial break, advertisements flooded the screen - affordable "Winter Lights" and "Winter Trees" promised to attract Santa's blessings to any home.
The marketing strategy worked brilliantly. Across Horn Kingdom, families rushed to order the reasonably priced decorations, eager to participate in this emerging tradition.
With each passing day, December 25th's significance grew throughout Horn Kingdom. While Hellfire Network's regional broadcasting kept the
phenomenon contained to Horn's borders - preventing spread to Morningstar, Japon, Thorne, and beyond - excitement within the kingdom reached fever pitch.
Children pleaded with their parents for decorations, desperate to draw the mythical Santa Claus to their homes. Though adults met the legend with skepticism, they couldn't resist joining in as entire neighborhoods began to sparkle with winter lights.
Arthur further fueled the festivities by announcing a spectacular December 25th celebration - Nirvana and Queen would perform a free concert at the football stadium, his gift to the kingdom for this special day.
***
Late afternoon sunlight slanted through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Arthur's office, casting long shadows across the polished mahogany desk. Rayleigh Wang, his monkey demon features sharp in the golden light, fixed Arthur with a calculating stare.
"Now that I've helped spread these ridiculous tales about December 25th, can I finally distribute Seven Samurai?" Rayleigh's tail twitched with barely contained impatience.
Arthur's lips curved into a relaxed smile. "I am a demon of my word." He extended his hand across the desk. "Partners again?"
Rayleigh's grin widened as he clasped Arthur's hand. "About time," he exhaled in relief. "I thought you'd hold a grudge after I dismissed you as irrelevant to filmmaking. Harry Potter's success proved me embarrassingly wrong."
"Your earlier doubts were understandable," Arthur replied with easy grace.
Rayleigh leaned back in his chair. "What's the real story behind this Santa Claus nonsense? Just a ploy to sell those cheap decorations and your new drink - what was it, Coke?"
"Just business," Arthur confirmed with a pleasant smile. He kept to himself the deeper truth - his plans to establish December 25th as Dionysus's holy day and create films celebrating what this world would know as Winter Day.
The conversation turned to Arthur's discussions with Prime Minister Valerie about making December 25th an official holiday, complete with employee bonuses. Perfect timing for his holiday film release, he thought, though that detail remained unspoken.
***
As days passed, the people of Horn Kingdom found themselves unexpectedly caught up in the excitement of the approaching "Winter Day."
December's chill drove many to seek refuge in cafés. Inside The Morning Brew, the scent of roasted coffee beans and freshly baked pastries mingled with the warmth from crackling fireplaces. Steam rose from cups as patrons shed their heavy coats, grateful for the shelter from the biting winter wind.
A group of demon employees claimed a corner table, their coffee cups warming their hands as they huddled close in conversation.
"Have you heard? Parliament's considering a bill to make Winter Day an official holiday!" A horned demon said, his breath visible in the café's warm air.
An imp demon nearly spilled his latte in excitement. "And the news says companies will have to give holiday bonuses!"
"Let's hope the bill passes," another added, stirring cream into his dark roast.
A fiend demon snorted, his skepticism evident. "But are we really buying this Santa Claus nonsense? Some spirit visiting kind families to grant children's wishes? Sounds like fantasy to me."
"Who cares if it's real?" A demon laughed, taking a long sip of his coffee. "As long as we get a holiday and bonus, Santa can be whatever he wants."
The group erupted in laughter. Whether Santa existed hardly mattered - the myth had already brought the promise of a holiday and extra pay.
Hellfire Studio took the lead, announcing Winter Day bonuses and holidays before the bill's passage, sparking envy among workers across Horn Kingdom.
The jealousy proved short-lived. On December 11th, Parliament passed legislation making December 25th an immediate national holiday. Companies found themselves obligated to provide both time off and holiday bonuses.
Public approval for the Economic Prosperity Alliance soared. Even those who hadn't supported EPA now praised the party's swift action. "Finally, our votes mean something," became a common sentiment in workplace conversations.
Though Horn Kingdom's royal and noble families privately bristled at Parliament's growing influence, they maintained carefully crafted public smiles, aware of the holiday's overwhelming popularity among their subjects.
When December 25th arrived, employees celebrated their bonuses and day off. The football stadium pulsed with energy as Nirvana and Queen took the stage for their free concert.
Hellfire MTV, launched just weeks earlier, broadcast the performances live. The coverage reached beyond Horn's borders, streaming into homes across Morningstar, Japon, Choson, Bharat, and South East Anatolia.
Viewership numbers shattered records. As citizens of other kingdoms watched the electric performances, many couldn't help but envy Horn Kingdom's residents who witnessed the rising bands in person.
While Nirvana and Queen had yet to perform beyond Horn and Morningstar's cities, their trajectory pointed toward joining world tours alongside established giants like "Bear," "Moonlight Serenade," and "Jazz King." Thanks to television exposure, their popularity surged daily as millions embraced their music.
Viewers outside Horn Kingdom watched the free concert with growing curiosity. The sea of red-clad concertgoers and the vocalists' repeated mentions of "Winter Day Special" sparked questions.
Unaware of Horn's new holiday, foreign audiences found themselves puzzled by the festivities. "I visited Horn Kingdom last year," a Morningstar viewer mused, "and there was no mention of any Winter Day celebration."
Their confusion deepened during an MTV interview with an enthusiastic fan who gushed about "Santa Claus" and "holiday bonuses." Only after the concert, when local newspapers reported Horn Kingdom's new holiday legislation, did understanding dawn. Workers across other kingdoms read about the mandated holiday and bonuses with barely concealed envy.
As December 25th's evening settled over Horn City, crowds gathered for "Seven Samurai's" premiere. The combination of the holiday and fresh bonus payments drew unprecedented numbers to theaters. Workers, pockets filled with bonus pay, purchased tickets in record numbers, turning the premiere into an event that matched the day's festive atmosphere.
For many workers, "Seven Samurai" marked their first cinema experience. The audience found themselves swept into the story, roaring with laughter at Kikuchiyo's antics. Yet by the film's end, tears flowed freely as both the beloved fool Kikuchiyo and the noble Kyūzo met their tragic fates.
Viewers emerged from theaters with reddened eyes and full hearts, the film's emotional impact lingering long after the credits rolled.
When Winter Day drew to a close, companies that had grudgingly distributed bonuses made a surprising discovery - their workers had poured that money back into the economy. Businesses reported unprecedented sales as people spent far more freely than usual, their bonus payments funding everything from theater tickets to holiday decorations.
This unexpected economic boost changed corporate attitudes toward the holiday. Even the most resistant companies began to recognize Winter Day's potential, seeing how increased consumer spending offset their bonus payments. What had seemed like an unwelcome obligation transformed into a catalyst for economic growth.
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