A mage? A spell engineer!

Chapter 111 Inside and Outside the Play

The first act opens with workers carrying wooden crates and barrels walking back and forth on stage. Combined with the sea and anchored, sail-furled ships in the set, and background music that seems to convey the sound of crashing waves and seabirds, the audience learns that this is a story that takes place in a fishing port.

Edmund, an adventurer and merchant returning from afar, arrives in his hometown laden with wealth and treasures, full of pride and joy. The actor sings, puffing out his chest as much as possible:

"My homeland, I have returned! Your waves are as gentle as ever, and your sunshine as brilliant as ever. Look, I have brought back wealth and treasures from overseas; this is my love for you, my promise to you!"

Edmund was welcomed by everyone at the dock, and the dockworkers unloaded the cargo while singing, "Honorable adventurer Edmund! Your courage has brought wealth to this harbor!"

A young fisherwoman appeared, her hair tied up, clearly showing she was used to hard work. However, the sea breeze and physical labor hadn't diminished her beauty in the slightest; with each step she took, she called out someone's name.

"Edmund, Edmund! You have finally returned! Your promise puts my mind at ease, but the rising waves and raging storms frighten me. Whether rich or poor, I only ask that you stay by my side!"

From the workers' chorus on the dock, the audience learns that the beautiful fisherwoman is the fiancée of the lucky Edmund.

"Catherine, my love! I'll stay, I'll stay! The ocean is my passion and my dream, and now it has been fulfilled. If I have any other desire, it's to hold you in my arms now, forever!"

The two embraced and twirled, and the music reached its climax, with everyone on stage beginning to dance—it must have been ballet.

No, it sounds like something out of Bollywood, with people dancing at the drop of a hat. Rorschach is, after all, a country bumpkin from the Empire, and was musically illiterate in his previous life.

In fact, the opera of the Holy Kingdom originated from the southern states, and to distinguish it from its place of origin, it incorporated a great deal of ballet. King Charles XIV of the Sun was an avid opera singer; he not only invested in the construction of this theater but also frequently performed on stage.

The stage dimmed amidst the singing and dancing, and everyone exited with light, quick steps. A beam of light and a richly dressed man entered, his wool wig telling the audience that he was a nobleman of the place.

Only the light from above illuminated him, making him appear exceptionally sinister. He brandished a heavy golden cane and sang as he confessed:

"Oh, I own this harbor! But I can never be satisfied; money makes me hungry, and that lucky lad makes me envious!"

Then the priest appeared, dressed as a portly old man. He had no special markings indicating which god he was a servant of, but this was the Holy Kingdom, and everything was self-evident.

"Father, I confess to the Lord! I seek your advice, Edmund. The darling of the sea has brought me wealth, making me envious and drooling. Please show me the way and enlighten me!"

"The Lord's glory will not shine on the greedy! But in order to eradicate this desire and maintain order here, sir, you must take action!"

Rorschach was surprised that the priest was not a positive figure. He gave the nobleman a suggestion, implying that by insisting that Edmund's money and goods were smuggled, they could swindle them, and the two agreed to split the spoils 50/50.

The first act of the opera ends with the laughter of the two villains.

"How dare they!" The priest to Deplesi's right slammed his wine glass on the small table, while the chief of the royal guards to his left also looked displeased.

The cardinal beckoned to a waiter: "How long has this play been running?"

"Today is the seventh day. We will perform every other day, sir."

"So, the first three shows were already on public sale. How were the attendance and the reception?"

"Very good, sir. Money and love triumph over the unjust—that's what audiences love to watch these days." The waiter suddenly realized that he needed to change his wording when describing the villains to the four people in front of him.

"Thank you for your answer. You may leave now."

"The palace keeps investing in the theater! Have they forgotten that this is the royal theater, putting on plays that cater to the lower classes in this elegant hall!" the chief guard said indignantly.

Duplesci showed little emotion: "Screenwriters, self-proclaimed authors, have always been kneeling and throwing punches at us. This is also the adornment the Holy Kingdom and His Majesty need to demonstrate the monarch's magnanimity." After saying this, he spoke privately with the priest for a few moments.

"I am busy with worldly affairs, so I will take my leave. I will now ask Your Excellency to act as my representative." The Prime Minister of the Empire used his cane to support himself and limped out of the box. Even though Necker had now become a powerful figure in the palace, the kingdom still needed the Cardinal's efforts to maintain order.

In the second act, Mr. Edmund has been imprisoned, and in his stone cell, he recounts in an aria his tragic experiences after returning to his hometown.

The singing attracted the nobleman and his henchmen, the jailers, who, at a command, continued to beat and kick Edmund. The torment suffered by the protagonist filled the audience with righteous indignation, and when Edmund stood firm in his innocence under duress, everyone cheered and wept for him.

However, the reactions of the VIPs in the private room were much more complex.

This plot feels a bit familiar yet a bit different. Just as Luo Xia was thinking this, a wise-looking old man with a white beard appeared.

Pfft. Cough cough. Rorschach choked on his drink.

However, the person who appeared on stage was not the good cellmate Rorschach had imagined. The white-bearded old man turned out to be a wandering sage and sorcerer who knew everything and pitied Edmund's plight, and tried to teach him the magic to escape.

Cano watched the whole thing with a mocking expression. He had, of course, noticed the reactions of the captain of the guard and the priest on the other side of the box, and asked Varon, "Why did you get the theater to put on this show, kid?"

The general manager covered his handkerchief with his handkerchief, then put down the cloth stained with medicinal powder and took a sip of wine. He found that the wine made him feel much better: "It was Lord Necker who made the decision; I have no authority to change it. However, the mage's role was added at the Lord's suggestion."

"Wow." Is the Finance Minister deliberately trying to disgust the bishop and the chief guard? Cano watched the drama unfold with even more fascination.

While the male protagonist was learning how to escape, the female protagonist was not idle either. She found her brother, who came from a fishing family but studied hard and eventually became an upright lawyer who defended the poor.

After learning about her fiancé's current situation from the magician, Catherine sings another aria, but her tone immediately turns passionate and resolute as she and her brother go to gather evidence of the nobles and priests framing Edmund.

The second act concludes in a climax.

The lights came on during intermission, signaling the start of the break. Waiters brought out a four-tiered dessert and replenished drinks in the private boxes. Simple savory dishes were also available if guests wished.

The audience members in the private boxes and under the stage didn't receive such good treatment, but waiters still distributed a small cup of light purple sparkling water to each person, and many people took the opportunity to take care of their personal hygiene.

It was Rorschach's first time inside the Grand Theatre, and he peered around aimlessly through his theater glasses. He looked around the entire theatre, marveling at the enormous crystal chandelier: "So many shards, they must have caused quite a few injuries if they fell."

As Luo Xia watched, he suddenly noticed a striking point of light in a box on the right side of the theater.

What's reflecting light? No, Rorschach stared intently through his glasses; the speckle of light transformed into a halo—the glow of magic. Was there another mage present? Or someone else?

He quickly used the [Communication] spell to notify Cano next door.

(End of this chapter)