A week has passed since the murder of Sidney.
For the common people of Muxi City, the topics sparked by this incident were already outdated. The so-called power and conspiracy behind it were less appealing than the bread and drama of the present.
The news that the King was to host a grand invitational party at the Grand Theatre immediately garnered everyone's attention. This party would not only offer a glimpse of the Holy Son but also a performance by the top-tier theatre company, the Golden Lark—a truly fantastic celebration for ordinary people whose lives were otherwise dull.
There's only one problem: you need a ticket to get in—an invitation to the Holy Relics.
This entry restriction kept most people out of the theater, but a very small number of people who had prior inside information managed to acquire the sacred bone at a high price before the invitations were sent out, thus gaining the right to attend the gala.
As the sun began to set, kerosene lamps were lit one by one at the entrance of the Royal Theatre, their bright light illuminating the crowds of people who had come to attend the evening's event.
Meanwhile, backstage at the theater, in the lead actor's room, a middle-aged man with a small mustache and dressed in a magnificent brocade robe anxiously looked at the beautiful woman applying makeup in front of the bronze mirror and exclaimed, "Barbara, for God's sake, forget the original script!"
The woman named Barbara, with her delicate features enhanced by light makeup, brightened the entire room. She quietly combed her smooth blonde hair, looking at her reflection in the bronze mirror without saying a word.
"On those stages in the past, we faced nothing but a bunch of fools who were nothing!" The man waved his arms, his expression excited. "But who are the spectators of tonight's performance?! They are the Holy Son of the Heavenly Father! They are the supreme rulers of the Kingdom of Muxi!"
Barbara glanced back and said, "Commander, I remember you once said that art is pure and untainted by utilitarianism or status?"
The leader of the Golden Lark guild ignored the sarcasm in the other party's tone and shouted anxiously, "Bullshit! I was just talking nonsense!"
The man glanced cautiously at the closed door behind him and lowered his voice: "You may not know, but the Kingdom of Muxi wiped out hundreds of noble lords. The bones of those defeated men hang on the wooden racks along the main road of Moon Creek Plain. At night, the will-o'-the-wisps on the bones burn continuously, and those lights are still called 'the streetlights of victory' by people."
The leader paused, then said, "So, never think of challenging the authority of the Holy Son or wantonly attacking divine power in front of him, because that's just courting death! Barbara, listen to me, act according to my revised script, or you'll send everyone in the troupe to the stake!"
Barbara pursed her lips, her hands holding the comb were bloodless from the force.
Outside the theater, Old Aiden, the president of the Craftsmen's Association, greeted his friends in high spirits.
The conversation between two female residents beside him caught his attention.
A woman said, "Have you noticed that there's been a foul smell in the air in Muxi City these past few days?"
The other person nodded and said, "That's right, especially the sewage outlets and drains, the stench is particularly strong there, to be honest, it smells a bit like rotting meat."
“Because of this, I even went to the Holy Order Arbitration Tribunal. They just told me that there were several heavy rains in the city last month, and debris had blocked the underground pipes. They said they would send someone to unclog them. But I know that those people are just talking; they won't actually do anything!”
Just as old Aiden was about to listen some more, a voice announced entry from the theater entrance.
People lined up and entered the venue in turn, according to the number of relics they possessed.
The guards at the entrance, responsible for checking documents and maintaining order, compared the invitations with the resident registration forms while searching for prohibited items.
As time passed, fewer and fewer people remained at the theater entrance, with only a handful still waiting in the long queue.
A father and daughter dressed in black robes approached the guards and presented them with an invitation.
"Viscount Zangner? Miss Zangner? You were once Silver Ring nobles?"
The father lifted his hood and said with a smile, "Yes."
The guard glanced at the two of them: "Please have your daughter remove her hood as well."
The father did as he was told, revealing his daughter's innocent-looking face.
The guards summoned a former soldier from the Silver Ring Southern Legion and compared his appearance and accent. After confirming that everything was normal, they returned the invitation to Viscount Zangner, nodding and saying, "Viscount, please remember that in the Kingdom of Muxi, there are only kings and commoners, no so-called nobles. Do not challenge the kingdom's bottom line with your words or actions. Also, I wish you a pleasant evening."
Viscount Zangner retrieved the letter and said to his guards with a smile, "Thank you for your advice. Believe me, son, I will be very happy tonight."
The father and daughter followed the crowd into the theater lobby.
Sabrina looked around curiously, then suddenly remembered something and asked Clarence, "By the way, how did you get your invitation?"
“We have to thank the ‘pawn’ we planted in the kingdom beforehand. Without that person’s tip-off, I wouldn’t have known about the entry requirements for the party, and naturally, I wouldn’t have been able to purchase the sacred bones for you and me in advance.” Clarence looked at everyone in the hall, then frowned and muttered, “Strange.”
Sabrina didn't hear the last sentence, but said to him eagerly, "Ivan has prepared enough 'materials' and the 'fireworks' are ready. We can start tonight and turn the entire Muxi Kingdom upside down!"
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