CHAPTER 87: THE END OF THE PLAY

The play depicted how the three forged a kingdom and defended its people from all the enemies of the forgotten Empire.

It ended with the deaths of each of the three childhood friends. The first to go was the strongest of the three, the first Duke of Stellhart.

After mastering his Aura, he sought more power and forcefully created a mana core. Yet despite his strength, he died battling a full-grown adult dragon.

The two fought for an entire month without rest. Mountains were cleaved, the land was torn, but in the end, the two sides were unable to determine a winner since both died at the same time.

No one knew the reason for their battle, but many speculate it was simply because Edric wanted to prove that he was a match for even the strongest of beings.

Richard and Lunavere came to meet their friend at his end. When they saw the vicious-looking smile on Edric’s face, they couldn’t help but smile as well. His body, alongside his final opponent, was buried on the land they fought.

The next to fall was the first king of Norvaegard, the former General Richard Vaelgard. He died of old age with a smile on his face. Beside him were his lovely children, grandchildren, and wives.

The entire kingdom wept on that day. Even the neighboring kingdoms, the barbarian tribes, and Norvaegard’s former enemies came to pay their respects to the fallen king.

They had a grand funeral, which was portrayed quite nicely by the actors on stage. Lunavere waved her staff, making flowers fall from the sky.

She did this to honor her fallen friend who loved flowers. Of course, in reality, the stagehands were scattering the flowers from the ceiling.

As the music swelled, the petals formed a trail leading to the center of the stage, where the actor portraying Richard lay in repose.

The last to go among the three was the mage of the stars, Lunavere Aeromont. She, as a master of the mystic arts, was able to prolong her life for centuries. She had watched her childhood friends die. She had seen the rise and fall of many kingdoms.

Always writing her discoveries, her insights, her experiences. She handed over her journal to her descendants, who shared her knowledge with those who were worthy of it. They also shared Lunavere’s story to those who wish to listen to it.

"What?!" The second he heard of Lunavere’s journal existing, Robert suddenly shouted, disturbing the solemn moment. Sir Thalos quickly blocked the other party’s mouth.

The audience looked briefly at Lucen’s area while frowning, but they did not say anything and continued watching. The actors and actresses did not stop despite Robert’s sudden shout. It was like they were truly in that moment, unaware of the audience’s reaction.

The last scene was set in the nighttime when the moon was high up. The actress playing Lunavere was sitting on top of a hill that overlooked the kingdom she and her friends built.

A gentle wind rustled through the fabric leaves on painted trees. Soft, glowing flecks drifted from above, silver confetti mimicking starlight, just like before. The moonlight lantern cast a pale blue over Lunavere’s figure, making her look more spirit than woman.

"It truly was a fun and wondrous adventure we had." Lunavere closed her eyes as if recalling a distant past.

"Richard always telling us of his dreams of the future. A truly beautiful dream... Where no one fears hunger, thirst, or dying forgotten and alone. Where everyone smiles without pretending."

The actress who played Lunavere spoke softly, but her voice could be heard even to those sitting in the distance. The music accompaniment in this scene was truly amazing as well.

"That lunatic Edric, always looking for a greater challenge. Always pouring everything into strengthening himself. He was a noisy madman, but he was also the kindest man I have ever known. The shield that would never break as long as one needed it. The sword that would always save as long as one would call for him... Heh, truly a fool until the very end."

Lunavere chuckled as she looked above the starry sky, tears falling down her face. Some of the audience also unconsciously shed tears.

"The adventures we had were truly ones worthy of becoming myth..."

Lunavere smiled every so brightly as the tears continued to fall. She watched as a meteor shower appeared before her eyes.

From the rafters above, shimmering strips of silver cloth and glinting beads were swiftly pulled across invisible wires, catching the light of mirrored lanterns. These mirrors, held aloft on long poles by stagehands perched above, angled flickers of flame and mana-lamp glow across the streaking strands, making them shine like stars flaring across the heavens.

At the same time, delicate handfuls of crushed mica and powdered fish-scale flakes were gently released from above. They fluttered like silvery snow, catching the reflected lights and creating a cascading waterfall of stars.

The back wall of the stage unfurled into a dark velvet backdrop, speckled with tiny pinpricks of colored glass that shimmered under rotating filtered lamps. The stars twinkled as the lighting shifted, and with every passing second, the illusion grew stronger.

The music also matched the changes, making a very memorable moment even more memorable.

"In the end, even stars must fall, and stories end.... But even so, I’m glad we had those adventures together."

Lunavere stood up, wiping away the tears on her face. She then looked forward and saw Richard and Edric in front of her.

It wasn’t the older actors who reappeared this time, but two younger ones, teenagers portraying Richard and Edric in their youth.

The one who played the younger Edric was not wearing his plate armor, but was wearing a simple leather armor with a small buckler and short sword.

The younger Richard was also not wearing his majestic kingly attire, but a simple garb that one would see a baron wear.

The two had bright smiles as they extended their hand to Lunavere, who looked stunned for a second. Her lips trembled as she looked at the two before her, but then she smiled her brightest smile yet.

"So this is the end of this story... I wonder what the next one will be like."

She whispered to herself, but of course, even that whisper-like voice could be heard throughout the theater due to the structure and runes placed within.

"Are we going on another adventure?" She said as she grabbed the hands of the two.

"Yeah, we’re going on a grand adventure," Richard answered.

"Hmph, took you long enough to get ready. We’ve been waiting for you for ages. I’m ready to get things started," Edric said.

"Hehe," Lunavere giggled as she and her friends moved onto the next adventure. The stagehands shined a strong light in the direction the trio were heading, and as the curtain fell, the story ended.

The curtain once again rose, and all the actors and actresses came on stage and bowed their heads.

It took the audience a few seconds to grasp that the play had ended, but they gave a standing ovation.

***

Lucen also stood up and clapped his hands. Even Robert and Sir Thalos joined in, clapping along with rare enthusiasm.

’Heh, that was better than I expected. I guess they aren’t that far behind in theater, at least. In fact, with runes and spells, you can recreate a lot of stories from my past life in theater.’

Lucen was getting even more interested in creating his own play, since the limitations they had in his past life could be overcome with the things that were in this fantasy world.

’I can even create my favorite anime in a play. I could start a cultural revolution in this fantasy world... Well, I guess, that’s for another time. There’s other things that need to be done first. Still, just the thought of making such stories come to life in a play, and showing them to these medieval people, is getting me a little too excited.’

Lucen calmed himself down first, pushing aside the flood of ideas. One thing at a time, Lucen reminded himself. As he was doing that, Robert suddenly asked a question.

"Hey, that journal, do you think it truly exists?"

"It does exist. Most of our history is based on that journal." It wasn’t Lucen who answered Robert. Surprisingly, it was Sir Thalos who did so.

"So it does! Why haven’t I heard of it before now?!"

"Well, I’m guessing it’s because you’re too focused on your alchemy, and you didn’t even try to know," Lucen answered.

"Damn it! I need to see that journal. It might have some insights into alchemy that’s been lost in the ages."

"Well, that might not be possible. I’m not really sure, since I’m basing this on what I heard and what I saw in the play, but the journal is kept by the Aeromont household, the descendants of Lady Lunavere. They had written the parts of the journal that were about the history of Norvaegard in a separate book. That’s what they show to the public."

Sir Thalos paused for a second to look at Robert, who was urging him to continue.

"... As for the other knowledge written within, they won’t show it to anyone. I’m guessing either only family members can read it, or whoever wants to read it needs to pass some sort of test to see if that person is qualified to read it. I’m not sure these are all just my guesses. If you want to know the truth, you need to ask the current head of the Aeromont household."

Robert, who would normally leap at any chance to gain more knowledge, actually hesitated when he heard Sir Thalos’s explanation.

"So, I need to meet that old hag who dresses up like she’s still young?" Robert mumbled to himself.

’Do I do it, or not?... Well, seeing the starlight witch’s journal would help, but I can learn the truths of the world myself. I don’t really need some hand-me-downs. Yeah, there’s no need to talk to that old hag.’ Robert convinced himself.