Chapter 74 Moonlight
The audience fell silent as if they had smelled blood, their eyes bulging as they looked into the dark cave.
Asros folded his hands and sneered, "Do you really think anyone likes to watch a ball chase? The audience isn't all country bumpkins. Do you think a bloodless game can beat a beast fight?"
Melia saw someone scurrying off at Mario's behest from the corner of her eye, so she rubbed her fingers together with a smile. "Ah, right, right, since you're so confident, you're definitely not afraid of a small bet. Don't worry, you don't have to put up the capital."
You don’t even have to spend any money, how can there be such a good thing?
Someone poked Asros on the back, signaling him to be careful, but he shook them off. "What's the bet? Are you betting on whether anyone will watch this? Once the beast is dragged out, who knows how many people will boo! Boo! Boo!"
Of course, you can't bet on this. Regardless of whether the audience likes football or not, they will definitely boo if the original program is replaced.
Melia didn't fall for the trap. "Of course not, let's bet on boos. Let's bet on something real—gold coins!"
"Bet on gold coins?" A white-bearded slave owner squeezed forward. "You mean... set up betting like in gladiatorial contests?"
"That's right~ Today is the first football match open to the public. In addition to the bounty, I'm willing to pay each gladiator's appearance fee according to the festival match price. If the profit from four matches is less than 1,000 gold coins, I won't take a penny and will pay the full venue fee. On the other hand, if the profit from four matches exceeds 1,000 gold coins, I must reserve the largest and most prominent free advertising space for me at every football match going forward."
She really didn't know how popular gladiatorial games would be if they were still around in modern times, but the difference in popularity between football and UFC was like that between an iceberg and broken ice.
As long as a country allows gambling on football, gambling games centered around small footballs can swallow up huge amounts of money.
Maybe the audience didn't know the rules of football at first, but everyone knows that a group of people are running around chasing the ball, and fighting is not allowed, so there are too many gambling parts.
Melia walked slowly, and Elena looked at her lively profile quietly.
"Uncle Mario just sent someone to tell me a few days ago that there are only four matches left, including today's. She walked over to the sign and gestured, "Have both teams change into their gear and rush in. Meanwhile, send the gambling guys to the stands to sell vouchers. It doesn't matter if the audience doesn't understand; we just need to make them feel like this is a well-crafted game."
Whitebeard nodded in understanding. "I also think football has great potential, but how can we solve the current difficulties? That behemoth is still on the field, and the audience won't rest until they see it tearing two slaves apart."
Melia shook her head slightly. "I do have a good idea, but someone hasn't said whether they'll accept the bet or not."
Asros looked around with a gloomy face: "My decision alone doesn't count. That ad space—"
Whitebeard caught his gaze and stroked his beard cheerfully, "Yes, of course I should. The ball game was Melia's idea. Even if it doesn't turn out well, she can afford it."
If it involves sharing a certain amount of money from each game, they will indeed feel extremely painful. Even if it is just a few gold coins, they will argue for a while. Who is willing to share the meat that is already in their mouths?
But that free advertising space - just a colorful painting in a conspicuous place, what's the big deal.
Old fox, you will also suffer from the consequences of the times, Melia suppressed her laughter.
"Ahem, you're worried the audience won't accept the last-minute change of game, right?" She covered her mouth: "It doesn't matter, today is the Moon Goddess Festival~"
…
The early winter sun shone coldly on the battlefield. The giant beast attacked the cage again and again, making a deafening roar.
However, the audience had already lost their passion and squatted in the stands, waving their fists in boredom: "Why hasn't it started yet——"
Even though there were no clocks in those days, they knew that the Colosseum was delayed. They waited at the fence for a long time but nothing happened.
"What do you think? Could it be that tickets are free today, just to trick us?"
Normally, such a question would definitely be rebuffed, but everyone was so frustrated that they all started talking at once: "I think so."
"I don't think so—it's not the ticket money we make."
"Then why haven't you started yet? If you don't start now, it's already lunch time..."
Clang, clang, clang.
The fence at the bottom floor made a rusty clanging sound, and the audience fell silent as if they had smelled blood, looking towards the dark cave with bulging eyes: soon, one or more half-naked gladiators will walk out from there. He will not wear armor or carry a shield, and can only rely on skilled techniques, extraordinary willpower and a little bit of luck to obtain weapons and defeat the powerful beast!
Of course, he would more likely leave a pool of broken limbs and blood on the spot, waiting for the second or third gladiator to follow the same path to death, or cut off the head of the beast to gain glory.
However, the sound of wheels could be heard from the cave on the left, and a silver-white chariot proudly drove in. At the same time, the small hole on the right quietly opened, and a handsome young man walked in humming a song, a step behind.
Two cheers suddenly rang out from the audience:
"It's Beatrice from Jinhui—" "Ah, she looks amazing dressed as Diana!" "The temple won't have any objections, will it..." "Of course! Aren't there enough actors dressed as Diana at the Moon Festival?! Even the musicians in the building privately... cough cough cough."
"Look, Sally played Apollo! Oh my, my heart is beating so fast!"
"It's not fair. Why should Sally play Apollo?! I think..."
"What do you think? I think it's great! I won 10 gold coins from Sally this year!!"
There was also a small group of bewildered spectators who did not usually watch gladiatorial combat. They sat in the stands like sheep that had lost their way, and could only understand that they were discussing the two gladiator stars.
Jin Hui's Beatrice is said to be of Sea Country descent, and her long golden hair is very recognizable - there are also rumors that she dyes her hair with cow urine, and fans scoff at this news.
Beatrice's strength is below average among the star gladiators, but her appearance is really pleasing. No one in the entire arena is more suitable to play Diana than her.
Looking at her bright silver breastplate and healthy mermaid line, everyone cheered, whistled, and stomped their feet, completely forgetting the annoyance of being left out in the stands.
"Diana" took out a rope from the chariot and threw it towards the beast.
Before the ropes touched the cage, "Apollo" sprinted from the outside and shot the beast with his small spear.
"Apollo, what are you doing!" Diana asked angrily. Several fully armed female gladiators immediately ran behind her, and Ronnie was among them.
Each of them was a precious gladiatorial star, and today they appeared together! Dressed as attendants of the moon goddess, they glared at Apollo.
“Great—”
The audience cheered loudly, "This is a great job, I want it again next time!"
"It's actually a drama! And it has a mythological theme." A businessman dressed in Greek clothes was sitting on the high platform. He had booked the high stands of the Luna Festival in advance and spent a lot of extra money.
I thought I was just being left here for nothing, but I didn't expect to be able to see a mythological drama in Rome.
You have to know that most of Rome's most famous dramas are down-to-earth rural and citizen dramas. Having gladiators dress up as gods is really... well, it is indeed very Roman absurd.
His lips trembled slightly, and he looked down while holding onto the stone pillar.
Apollo, wearing a laurel wreath, still looked like a shepherd. He stood in front of his sister with a playful smile and said, "My dear sister, the moon has not yet hung above the treetops, and you are hunting everywhere in my singing forest? Go back to your moonlit woodland, where there are more beautiful hares."
Both the brother and sister have priesthoods related to hunting and combat, and neither of them is willing to submit to the other at this time.
Beatrice forgot her lines for a moment, but she was just as arrogant as everyone knew Diana was. "You, you're talking nonsense! Today... today is my day. All the prey in the world should belong to me."
"That won't do," Apollo added deftly. "I don't have a chariot as beautiful as my sister's, so I have to protect my own little piece of land. I'm going to pluck this beautiful fur and give it to my beloved girl."
"You just pricked the fur."
"......" Apollo desperately winked: lines, recite the lines quickly.
But Diana felt that she had won the argument, and raised her forehead arrogantly, causing her fans to scream in surprise.
Just as they were considering whether to draw their weapons and engage in an impromptu fight to avoid a dull moment, another gladiator with goose wings entered the arena. He was dressed as Cupid and ran with a red face. He said: "Gentlemen, please stop fighting. Since today is the day for mankind to celebrate you, why not have a game instead of fighting?"
His eyes were so innocent that Diana looked away. "Well, whether it's an archery competition or a running competition, my maids will never admit defeat."
"Your maid?" Apollo laughed. "That's too unfair. How can a god personally participate in the competition? Otherwise, we should stand here and wait to see who will come. If there are fewer people, we can run. If there are more people - I have a new and good idea!"
Someone in the stands was beating his chest and stamping his feet: "What? Ronnie isn't going to compete?"
"Tsk, do you really think the owners are willing to put so many celebrities on display for you? They have gladiatorial shows tonight and tomorrow."
More people were watching the game intently, because there were many familiar figures working hard on the field.
Slaves brought in pots of flowers to serve as forests and grasslands, and festive cloth covered the yellow sand, adding a touch of festive decor. Others carried pillars and garlands to serve as door frames, scrambling to place them on both sides.
Young men and women came out from behind the fence, singing songs in an untidy but loud manner, each wearing leather armor to protect their knees.
At the same time, there were loud staff members banging on wooden barrels and walking around in the stands announcing the rules of the game. After all, only people in the front row could hear what the actors were saying.
The audience in the back row could only watch with their mouths wide open as Diana used her nimble fingers to "transform" the halo above her head, which symbolized the moon, into a ball, pretending not to see Cupid who was helping her change the ball.
Regardless of whether they understood the rules or not, everyone symbolically bought some vouchers after hearing them. "Today is the Luna Festival, and it's the first time the Colosseum is hosting that... football match?" "Let's pay to support the event first, just in case we win."
No one had ever seen the game, so they didn't dare bet on the score. They just bet on the outcome based on their preferences for the "players." As for the previous minor unpleasantness and the giant on the field? No one cared.
When the players were in position, some spectators even ran out of the arena and shouted to the citizens on the street to come and see: "Apollo and Diana are going to play football——"
Well, God knows what rumors will spread.
"So, are you still worried about the financial prospects of football matches?" Melia turned around calmly and showed the stadium owners the bustling scene in the stands.
No one, noble or commoner, booed. They just eagerly discussed different things: gold coins, novelties, festivals, gods, dramas, competitions... All these elements mixed together, pushing the atmosphere to a high point.
Asros laughed awkwardly twice, then found an opportunity to run away embarrassedly.
Mario breathed a sigh of relief: "I'm so lucky! Oh, and what about those slaves who escaped? What should I do..."
"Uncle, you should hurry up and take people to look for them. I need to borrow some skilled fighters too." Melia greeted the newly returned Roni and several star gladiators. "Alright, no need to change clothes, just follow me to the temple area."
Ronnie held her helmet and smiled bitterly: "Miss, are you going to compete with Princess Ophelia?"
"Hahahaha, so what? You'll help me, right?" the girl leaped for joy, rushing out of the arena before the crowds of people rushed in. At that moment, Elena and Ronnie shook their heads in understanding, their faces etched with smiles that couldn't be erased.
She seemed to be shining and omnipotent.
The author has something to say:
Ahh ...
Thanks to Lei Lei under Luo Mu Xiao Xiao~
Thanks to Xiaozhi, 20799008, and Doubi Xiaomushi for their support~
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