Chapter 248 - Holiday''s charm

    (3rd Person POV)

    Days turned into weeks as the rehearsals continued, each session bringing the cast and crew closer to the first day of filming in the VFX Studio.

    As time passed, Red and Yellow found themselves growing accustomed to the presence of their human and elven colleagues. To the surprise of many, the dragons also began to exhibit a greater degree of obedience towards Arthur, a development that did not go unnoticed.

    While curiosity about Arthur''s ability to command these magnificent creatures lingered in the minds of all, they knew better than to pry. Instead, they gradually accepted Arthur''s control over the dragons as simply another facet of his mysterious persona.

    Upon entering the VFX Studio, the dragons couldn''t help but marvel at the transformative power of the illusions that altered the backdrop, transporting them to another world entirely.

    "Incredible!" Red exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder. "It''s as if we''ve stepped into a different land, all through the magic of illusion!"

    Yellow, though less easily impressed, nodded in agreement. "It reminds me of the Illusion Valley back in the Draconic Realm," he mused, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

    Arthur''s ears perked up at the mention of this unfamiliar place. "Draconic Realm?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.

    Red, caught up in his excitement, began to explain. "It''s the realm where we dragons—"

    But before he could continue, Yellow swiftly interrupted. "It''s nothing! Just a figment of my imagination, a made-up place!"

    Red, catching Yellow''s pointed glare, quickly realized his error. "Ye-yeah, that''s right. Just an imaginary realm, nothing more!"

    In his enthusiasm, Red had nearly forgotten the cardinal rule: the Draconic Realm was a closely guarded secret, its existence meant to be hidden from outsiders.

    Arthur, however, was not so easily fooled. "Is that so?" he murmured, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Inwardly, he had no doubt that this ''Draconic Realm'' was indeed the dragons'' place of origin.

    An intriguing realm, he mused silently. Perhaps I should consider paying it a visit before venturing into the Netherworld.

    After all, the Draconic Realm was likely to pose fewer dangers than the infamous Netherworld.

    Pushing these thoughts aside for the moment, Arthur refocused his attention on the task at hand—bringing his cinematic vision to life.

    With a mere flick of his finger, he uttered a command that resonated through the studio. "Atmosphere Control."

    The media had previously criticized the H.E.S for its high price point, deeming it too costly for a mere toy.

    But now, faced with the console''s impressive sales, they realized they had underestimated the lengths parents would go to bring happiness to their children.

    When December 25th arrived, tens of thousands of children across the kingdom awoke to find beautifully wrapped gifts waiting beneath their Winter Trees.

    Squeals of delight filled the air as they tore open the packages, revealing the H.E.S consoles they had so desperately wished for.

    "Mommy, look! Santa Claus made my wish come true!" one little boy exclaimed, bouncing with joy.

    His parents exchanged knowing glances, their hearts full of warmth at the sight of their child''s unbridled happiness. In that moment, the true magic of Winter Day became clear—a magic born not from the existence of Santa Claus, but from the love and dedication of parents striving to create precious memories for their little ones.

    The festive energy that enveloped Horn Kingdom during Winter Day didn''t go unnoticed by other nations. Television broadcasts carried the joyous atmosphere to kingdoms like Morningstar, Bharat, Choson, and Japon.

    While the concept of Santa Claus and the Winter Day celebration was new to many in these lands, they quickly grasped the essence of the holiday.

    The appeal of Winter Day was so strong that other kingdoms began considering adopting the tradition for themselves. Corporations took note of the economic boom Horn Kingdom experienced during December, and they were eager to replicate that success.

    But it wasn''t just the financial benefits that caught their attention. The televised images of smiling faces, particularly those of delighted children, stirred envy among the citizens of these kingdoms.

    As the Winter Day celebrations in Horn Kingdom dominated the airwaves, viewers in other countries couldn''t help but notice the frequent mentions of the H.E.S video game console. This inadvertent promotion served as a powerful advertisement for the device.

    The H.E.S had already made its way to the United States of Empirica and other Evros kingdoms. Despite these nations'' efforts to block Arthur''s crucial businesses, such as the barcode system and computers, they had allowed the import of his video game console, believing it to be of little consequence.

    However, unbeknownst to them, the popularity of video games was steadily growing, with more and more people discovering the joys of interactive entertainment.

    In Japon, a kingdom known for its gambling machines like pachinko, the concept of video games was still relatively new. However, the televised Winter Day celebrations from Horn Kingdom had piqued interest in the entertaining world of video games.

    Yamauchi, a savvy businessman who owned a chain of hotels, a taxi service, and several casinos in Japon, recognized the untapped potential of video games.

    While he knew he couldn''t directly copy the advanced technology used in the H.E.S, Yamauchi saw an opportunity to partner with Hellfire and develop entertaining games for the console.

    He astutely observed that the H.E.S''s popularity was hampered by a limited selection of games. By collaborating with Hellfire to create compelling video games, Yamauchi believed he could capitalize on this emerging market that many had yet to fully appreciate.