Goddess Kaleidoscope

To be fair, the dwarves' technology is truly impressive; the completion of the entire opera house far exceeded Rudd's initial expectations. The only problems are that the open-air structure cannot provide shelter from the wind and rain, and the all-wood structure also poses safety hazards such as susceptibility to fire, mold, and insect infestation.

The dwarves had considered these issues as well. Gulig proactively recommended a secret dwarven wood varnish to Lud, which, when evenly applied to the surface of the wood, could prevent fire, insects, and moisture, greatly extending the lifespan of the wood.

However, this secret wood lacquer is considered an "upgrade DLC," so if Rudd wants to use it on his opera house... he'll have to pay extra!

Who the hell said that all dwarves are honest and straightforward?

In short, the opera house was successfully built and will be officially put into use for the first time in four days. Servis's rehearsals are almost complete, and Lude even took Aina to watch the preview rehearsal. Their impressions were quite good.

"You all performed wonderfully, Miss Servis. Your troupe members are all excellent. I believe that even if Shakespeare were here, he would certainly applaud your performance."

"Thank you for your praise, Your Excellency."

Hearing Ludd's praise, the actors on stage all beamed with joy, with Servis being especially delighted. Because she had already accepted Ludd as Shakespeare, Ludd's words were, in her ears, a tacit endorsement from the "original author," undoubtedly the highest honor for a stage actor.

End of this chapter

Time flew by, and the day of the Rainbow Dance Troupe's premiere of the play arrived. People were filled with anticipation, and during the day they went about their usual work. As dusk fell, they would bring their families, take their colorful tickets, and head towards the huge semi-circular building in the southwest of the village.

At Ludwig's request, the huge fan-shaped stands were painted in a rainbow pattern, making it easier for spectators to quickly find their seats by matching the color of their tickets.

Some noble knights who had seen plays and dances before noticed that the size of this open-air opera house was obviously a bit off; both the stands and the stage were surprisingly large.

It's important to know that the stage dimensions in a typical opera house are carefully considered. Generally, the length will not exceed twenty meters, and the width will not exceed ten meters. There is also a certain ratio between the stands and the stage to ensure that the audience in the last row can see clearly, while the audience in the front row does not need to look up.

But this opera house is different. The stage area is almost ten times the size of a regular stage. Who knows what kind of performance is going to be performed on such a big stage?

Even more outrageous are the stands. Even the first row of seats, which is closest to the stage, is nearly ten meters away and more than five meters off the ground. The last row is more than fifty meters away and more than twenty meters off the ground. It takes about five minutes just to walk from the entrance to your seat.

Many knights who had specifically bought back seats began to regret not bringing their telescopes for military campaigns, while others started to complain that the dwarf designer who built this bizarre opera house must have been out of his mind.

"This opera house isn't meant for people; I think they're probably planning to invite dragons to watch a show."

Soon, the knights' complaints grew louder and louder, clearly intended for the dwarves around them to hear. Then, the cold-faced Sharo walked over and surveyed the surroundings with his imposing phoenix eyes. The previously boisterous knights immediately became as docile as chickens and returned to their seats obediently.

Having easily subdued his men without uttering a single word, Sharo returned to his seat, his expression still one of extreme displeasure. However, his displeasure wasn't directed at his needy underlings, but rather at the man sitting to his left—Rodriguez, the eldest son of Duke Gamelin.

Both of them received invitations from Ludwig, and Sharo, who genuinely enjoyed musicals and plays, readily accepted. However, upon arrival, he discovered his seat was right next to Rodriguez's. He wanted to move, but couldn't simply walk away and appear afraid of Rodriguez. So, he could only sit there with his legs crossed, putting on a cold shoulder.

The two were locked in a stalemate when a long cry suddenly came from afar. The sound wasn't very loud, but it was very clear.

For many people in Pine Tree Village, this sound was all too familiar—it was the roar of a giant dragon!

The events of last winter left many survivors with a complex mix of emotions regarding the dragon. After all, the dragon had attacked over a dozen settlements on the northern border, and even though Nidhogg was cautious for fear of harming his own children, it still resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries.

Therefore, at the beginning, the surviving villagers were generally filled with fear and resentment towards the dragon. However, it was thanks to the rampaging dragon that they were able to continuously receive food, which allowed the thousands of people who fled to Pine Village to successfully survive the harsh winter. This was undoubtedly a life-saving grace.

Thanks to Lude's mediation, the villagers learned the truth of the whole incident and understood the dragon's anger. So, except for a few who couldn't let go of their grudges and chose to leave, the remaining villagers chose to reconcile.

Let bygones be bygones, especially since I can't beat them anyway!

As the last rays of the setting sun shone, the two black dragons, flying side by side, landed on the earthen slope east of the opera house. The locals, having seen this many times before, remained remarkably calm, which also calmed the dwarves and knights who witnessed their composure.

On this hillside, Ludwig was leading a group of people to welcome Nidhogg and his family of dragons. As soon as the two enormous dragons landed, the baby dragon Kanna, who had been held in Aina's arms, broke free and flew away. With a cute dragon charge, she pounced on her father's forehead and rubbed against him affectionately.

So the majestic and powerful dragon from a moment ago instantly turned into a silly, grinning old man. Only after Tawawa, who couldn't stand it anymore, flicked his tail did his adorable, foolish expression subside slightly.

"Ahem... Welcome, gentlemen."

Before the two dragons, Lud greeted them with a smile, while Hamilton, who already knew, was not surprised. However, the reactions of Bishop Ural of the Church of War and Chief Gulig of the dwarves were more interesting. Although they had heard rumors that Lud knew dragons, they hadn't expected their relationship to be so close that they felt comfortable entrusting their child to his care.

However, what intrigued them most was Kanna, the rather strange-looking baby dragon. This little creature had fine black and white fur, a halo around its head, and wings on its back, making it hard to believe that it was a purebred black dragon.

Despite their curiosity, both remained cautious and didn't ask further questions. They knew that Lud had invited them to join him in welcoming the dragon, undoubtedly intending to demonstrate his strength. Ural was glad he had chosen an alliance rather than hostility, while Gulig was secretly delighted, thinking he had indeed found the right ally.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lude called over Tawawa, hoping to use her dragon illusion magic to provide the necessary "stage effects" for today's play.

Upon hearing that it was just a simple illusion that enlarged people, Tawawa immediately said it was a piece of cake and easy for her.

And so, five special audience members joined the opera house. The rest of the audience was initially astonished, but quickly turned to excitement. They imagined how impressive it would be to brag to their friends about "having seen a play with a dragon"!

The only person who wasn't feeling too comfortable was the dwarf designer who had boasted to Ludwig. The eighty-year-old dwarf was sweating profusely, fearing that Ludwig would actually let those two dragons lie on the stage of the opera house he had designed and built, which would definitely make him lose face.

Fortunately, his worst fears did not come true. The two giant dragons squatted down on the nearby hillside. Two young dragons, however, flew over to the stands and circled around, but were soon driven back by the female dragon's angry roar.

Before long, the audience had mostly arrived, and all 15,000 seats were filled. Although many audience members in the back rows still doubted whether they could see the performance on stage, the thought that they had only spent five copper coins to get up close and personal with the two giant dragons gave them a sense of satisfaction.

This experience alone is worth the price of admission!

End of this chapter

Because of the presence of two giant dragons, even though the couple did not intentionally unleash their dragon might, all the mosquitoes in the entire open-air opera house area disappeared without a trace in a very short time, greatly improving the comfort of the audience.

On the other side of the stage, Servis and the others were dumbfounded. They never expected that the "special audience" that Lude had mentioned before was not some high-ranking official, but a family of black dragons. In a sense, these people were indeed more powerful than the king.

At this moment, the actor playing Romeo approached, the young man looking rather unwell. Although he had studied martial arts and, in addition to acting, also served as a bodyguard for the troupe, it didn't mean he wasn't afraid, especially when facing a top-tier magical creature like a dragon.

"Tour leader, are we still going to perform?"

"Act! Of course we have to act!"

When asked by her actors, Servis paused for a moment before giving a firm and decisive answer.

Just kidding! How could I let such a great opportunity slip by!

Dragons are indeed terrifying, but if you think about it another way, looking at the whole world and even throughout history, what song and dance troupe's performance could attract a dragon to come and watch it?

If this gets out, it will definitely be an unprecedented sensation!

Trusting and admiring Ludwig, Servis encouraged her troupe members. Today was their day to turn things around. Whether they could restore the troupe's former glory depended on whether each of them gave their all on stage later.

They not only have to move the audience with their acting skills, but also find a way to make those two dragons cry!

"Go for it! Give it your all!"

"Oh! Seeing how imposing you all are, I'm relieved."

Servis, who was encouraging her actors, heard Lud's voice behind her and turned around with delight, only to bump into a huge dragon head that crawled in from outside the tent.

To be fair, the dragon head is quite delicate when you look closely, and its huge red eyes are as clear and transparent as flawless gems. But a dragon head is still a dragon head, and it's so close. Servis suddenly experienced what it means to have cardiac arrest!

"@＃￥＆*……"

"Priest, what is this human lady saying?"

Looking at Servis, whose face was deathly pale and whose mouth was babbling incoherently, the female black dragon Tawawa, who had been invited by Lude, tilted her head in confusion.

Lude realized that Servis was frightened, so he quickly stepped forward and subtly released a group mental calming spell, which helped Servis regain her breathing. The other members, whose legs had gone limp from fright, also quickly calmed down.

"Ahem, let me introduce you. This is Lady Tawawa of the Black Dragon Clan, and the other black dragon outside is her husband, Nighogg. Remember the illusion master I mentioned before? That's this lady."

At Lud's introduction, the still-shaken actors stepped forward to greet Tawawa, marveling at the breadth of Lud's social circle, which allowed him to even hire a dragon to create stage effects for them. As their fear gradually dissipated, excitement and joy took their place.

Tawawa didn't think much of Lud's request. After all, one of the most renowned racial talents of dragons is the almost limitless magic power supplied by the dragon heart. The consumption of a mere low-level illusion spell was probably less than what she used to discipline her two unruly brats at home.

According to the original plan, the actors did not actually appear directly in front of tens of thousands of audience members for this play. Instead, they performed in a small, enclosed stage behind the giant stage, and then, through Tawawa's illusion, the performance was magnified proportionally and projected onto the large stage outside.

Lude specifically asked Tawawa whether the illusion required her to stay backstage as well. Tawawa replied that it was not necessary; as long as she cast the spell backstage, the effect could last for more than seven days unless she voluntarily withdrew it.

Because dragons have an abundant supply of magic power, their magic, while simple and brutal, is also incredibly powerful and long-lasting.

To put it bluntly, it's a bit like "using great strength to throw bricks".

In front of all the humans present, Tawawa, who had barely managed to peek into the backstage area, opened her mouth and spat out a black sphere radiating intense magical energy. Lud could tell that this thing was not a physical object, but rather an exceptionally dense mass of magic, containing some "golden threads" that resembled electric arcs.

Although Lud didn't understand magic, he vaguely guessed that this must be the legendary "Dragon Clan Spell Code." In his view, this thing was a code that constituted the degree of magic; magical power operated according to these codes, producing various different magical effects.

"Alright, before your performance starts, anyone can come up and touch this magic ball. It will magnify your images on this stage five times and project them onto the stage outside. I need to go back and keep an eye on my two silly sons. Good luck!"

After Tawawa finished speaking, she left with a smile. Everyone backstage breathed a sigh of relief. The dragon's pressure was a powerful passive skill. Even if Tawawa actively restrained it, the slightest bit of it revealed was not to be underestimated.

However, setting aside this unreasonable racial oppression, the group actually had a fairly good impression of Tawawa. The actors chattered amongst themselves, sharing their personal experiences of having just had close encounters with the dragon.

"This Lady Tawawa... uh, the dragon isn't bad! Dragons aren't as terrifying as many stories portray them to be, are they?"

"To be honest, it really is! And her voice is so beautiful, I feel like I could actually..."

"Stop, buddy! Quickly stop your audacious idea! Her husband is right there on the hill outside!"

"Alright everyone, calm down. We're about to start the performance, so get to your positions."

Seeing that everyone was getting a little too excited, Servis quickly clapped her hands to bring their attention back, and then turned to bow once again to thank Lud for the great help he had given them.

"Thank you, Your Excellency. Without your great assistance, we would not have had such conditions and opportunities."

"Don't underestimate your efforts and contributions. I saw your potential, and I don't think just any theater troupe will sponsor you. Oh, by the way! I came here for another reason, to bring them here."

As Ludd spoke, he clapped his hands, calling for the female disciples waiting outside to come in. Servis was surprised to see that the young and beautiful nuns who had been with Ludd had also arrived, each carrying five wooden boxes. When they were placed on the table and opened, they found that they were all filled with statues of deities, each one exquisite and unique.

"Your Excellency, this is..."

"You'll need it for your performances, but I have to remind you that a deity is a deity after all. Don't treat it like an ordinary prop, either in your behavior or in your mind. You know what I mean."

"Understood, clear."

Seeing that Lude had even brought the statues to use as stage props, Servis couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Looking at the five statues, she felt rather awkward and hesitant.

Lude comforted her, telling her not to be so reserved. While the idols were sacred, they weren't untouchable; the key was to approach them with reverence. He added that the actors' performances on stage would also influence the tens of thousands of audience members outside, and that the gods wanted more mortals to understand their greatness.

After all, these statues were all sculpted by Lud himself, and most of them are really big!

End of this chapter

As the sun sets completely and night falls, the magical lights illuminating the open-air opera house instantly become the most dazzling light on this land.

Tens of thousands of spectators eagerly awaited the performance, while vendors carrying baskets walked along the aisles, loudly hawking local snacks and drinks. They were allowed to sell in the audience before the show began and during intermission, but had to stop selling and return to their designated staff rest area once the bell rang to signal the start of the performance.

These small vendors were mainly elderly people in the village who were unable to do heavy physical labor but had not completely lost their mobility. Lude, as the actual owner of the opera house, gave them this job and made them the first batch of formal employees of the opera house.

In addition to selling snacks and drinks in the stands, they are also responsible for the daily cleaning of the stands. The overall workload seems large, but when divided among the thirty-odd people, it is still acceptable on average.

After all, the opera house doesn't have performances every day. Ludwig paid them weekly, and the employment contract also promised a pension, enough for these elderly people to maintain a normal life.

Soon, the magic lights on the stage went out one by one, and at the same time, bells began to ring all around, signaling that the performance was about to begin. The vendors immediately grabbed their baskets and ran to their designated areas. As official staff members of the opera house, one of their employee benefits was the ability to watch the performance for free.

"Ahem... Sound test! Everything is working properly."