Chapter 528 The Bells of the Republic Ring Out in Another Theater
Queen Street is always noisier at night than during the day, and this was especially true tonight at the Collins Theatre, where the brightly lit entrance was bustling with people and cars.
Inside the Colin Theatre, heavy red velvet curtains hung to the floor, isolating the crowds and noise below the stage.
Behind the stage.
Qiqi took several deep breaths to calm herself down, then glanced at the script again, memorizing the lines.
The succubus's characteristics have been concealed through warp magic, a skill inherent in high-ranking succubi.
Although she wasn't a top student at the Demon King Academy and couldn't compare to Senior Luo Yan, she was still quite capable compared to those demons born with a silver spoon in their mouths.
Unless it's a court case, she won't easily be exposed even if a priest stands right in front of her.
"Go for it... Eloise, you can do it." She silently recited the name of the character she was about to portray, completely immersing herself in the story.
Meanwhile, her co-star "Little Eagle" also had a tense expression, making final preparations.
Although her acting skills seemed average, she still perfectly portrayed the honest, simple, and naive nature of the male lead, "Matthew."
Let's just believe her for now.
Although Qiqi was relieved, the person using the alias "Little Eagle" [Pan Yu Zhi Guai] was far from relaxed.
In reality, she is a boy, but she is currently playing a female character, and her task is to play a handsome young man in the stage play "The Bell" as a loli.
She was a little confused.
So, is she a man or a woman now?!
...
Offstage.
The air was filled with the scent of candles and the sweet perfume of the ladies' cosmetics.
In the audience, Mignis leaned back in his soft seat, his fingers crossed on his knees, patiently waiting for the show to begin.
As a cloth merchant from Foggy Harbor, he knew that fine fabrics took time to weave, so he didn't make a fuss like other nouveau riche.
Usually, the theaters in Thunder City stage mediocre plays, even those invested in by Mr. Punk and named after Colin.
The stage performances depict either a knight wielding his sword to sever the demon king's head, or a princess in distress awaiting salvation in holy light... accompanied by a variety of demons taking turns to appear.
However, I heard that the Iris Theatre Company is different.
This performance team comes from the Holy City, and their artistic performance skills and scriptwriting abilities are far superior to those of the mediocre screenwriters in Thunder City.
Okay, that might be a bit biased.
The real reason is that Mignis had never been to the Holy City, so he had a glimmer of expectation for the art there.
Although the title "The Bells" sounds like a sacred sermon or the story of a saint's suffering, a different story is always better than the same one.
The curtain slowly opened.
There were no magnificent palaces, nor were there any eerie and terrifying dens.
The stage consisted of only a few bundles of hay, a few distressed wooden planks, and a backdrop for the set. Under the illumination of the magic crystal lights, the crew used limited materials to build a shabby yet beautiful little village in a surprisingly realistic way.
Like the pastoral idyll shared in the hearts of countless Campbells and Lanes.
A boy walked out; he was a farmer's child named "Matthew," and the actor playing him was a newcomer named "Little Eagle."
To be honest, Mignis had never seen such a refined countryman. Not only were his features excessively delicate, but his neck was also smooth and his Adam's apple was completely flat.
But... so what?
Real stage plays are not good, and good stage plays are not real. There will never be a pastry in this world that is both sweet and not sweet.
He took a sip of the champagne the waiter brought him and became quite interested in the woman dressed as a man, even more so than in Miss Eloise next to him.
However, Miss Eloise was also an exceptionally beautiful woman. Her graceful entrance silenced the previously noisy audience for a moment.
Some people can make silk look like a dishcloth, but she wore a coarse cloth dress as if it were soft satin. The gentleness in her eyes was not the affected mannerisms of noble ladies, but rather the comforting aroma of freshly baked bread and the radiance of a mother's warmth.
She brought the character to life, perfectly embodying the fictional girl in the hearts of the Lane and Campbell people—pure, kind, gentle yet resilient.
Amidst the whispers and anticipation of the crowd, the "bell" rang out on stage as the two performers bowed and the soothing, melodious music played.
Act One—
The night before the wedding.
The villagers sat together, and the chaotic yet orderly stage depicted the warmth and busyness of the village. Several acrobats attracted the audience's attention with their funny antics, creating a scene of leisurely enjoyment and merriment.
The music changed naturally, and soft lighting came onto the female protagonist.
Eloise's fingers weaved a crown of flowers, a symbol of blessing, through the vines and wildflowers. Butterflies fluttered around her, enhancing the beauty of the scene.
"The day after tomorrow, I will be married to my beloved... I hope it will be a sunny day."
Eloise held a wreath in her hands, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her eyes shone like stars.
The village's female weaver held Eloise's hand and offered her sincere and heartfelt blessings.
"It will happen, we will all be praying for you!"
The atmosphere was happy and peaceful.
The light shone on Matthew, a skilled fabric dyer. He was not only good at dyeing fabric, but also at mending and repairing it, making him a well-known master craftsman in the village.
The villagers also offered him their blessings, including the blacksmith, the carpenter, the village groom, and the farmer who asked him to repair his hoe.
The entire stage seemed to be filled with the fragrance of wheat, and Miguel, sitting in the audience, showed a surprised expression.
The looks, acting skills, and especially the music are all top-notch.
This ticket was totally worth it!
However, that blissful sweetness didn't last long. Just when the audience was about to be overwhelmed by the sweetness, a hoarse voice sounded beside Eloise.
"Don't forget to go to the castle."
He was an elderly shoemaker, his face etched with the marks of a life lived through countless storms. He tapped his pipe on the sole of a shoe, the sound deep and hoarse.
No one wanted to break the happy atmosphere.
But he must prepare the young people.
"You need to prepare a crown tax... no, I mean the cost of the 'Bell of Purity'. Without the bells, there is no wedding. Without a wedding, there is no blessing. Your child will not be recognized by the lord, and he will be forced to wander the land as an adventurer."
Mignis chuckled softly from below the stage.
Corolla tax.
That's a really nice name.
Although his hometown, Mist Harbor, was a free city and didn't have as many feudal lords as the Duchy of Campbell, it still had its share of similar things.
Feudalism doesn't disappear just because people don't call themselves feudal. From birth to marriage to death, every step requires money.
The only difference was that it wasn't the lord who collected the money, but the priest.
Although he was already very wealthy and never worried about these few silver coins, he would still occasionally sigh at how easy it was for these priests to make money.
Indeed, the most ingenious business model in the world is religion. It provides no services, yet it collects money. It offers no guarantees for today, yet it dares to promise the future.
It can even make a robbery not be called a robbery.
The atmosphere on stage did not cool down; the magnificent organ music continued to play, without immediately dampening the spirits of the happy audience.
"It doesn't matter."
Eloise's voice was clear and crisp, with a touch of innocent stubbornness.
“We’ve saved enough. He worked day and night in the lord’s cloth shop, and I sold flowers in the city, saving up one copper coin at a time…”
She held up five fingers.
That was all her pride.
"We already have five silver coins!"
The old shoemaker didn't speak, but just puffed on his pipe, a cryptic light gleaming in his cloudy eyes.
Just then, the ticking sound appeared amidst the melodious organ music. It was the mechanical sound of a pocket watch ticking, monotonous and repetitive, like a tiny chisel chiseling into one's heartstrings.
Those who don't understand music appreciation might say the musician's instrument is broken, but Miguel, who truly understands art, can taste the flavor of the champagne.
That was a prelude to a "variation".
The castle's clock tower did not ring; instead, the stopwatch of the trial began to chime.
Unconsciously drawn into the emotions, Mignis gently shook his head, sighing for a second for the couple gazing lovingly at each other on stage.
"What a silly child."
Rules are never made for those who follow them.
...
The stage lights began to change.
The warm yellow halo receded like the tide, and a cold, dark blue light shone in from the side, lengthening the figures' shadows.
Night has fallen.
Matthew emerged from the shadows.
The handsome young man's back appeared somewhat hunched, as if several mountains were pressing down on his spine. He dared not look at his fiancée, his gaze fixed on the dust on the ground, like a helpless husband.
The backdrop behind the couple resembled both a stable and a barn, implying that the newlyweds, blessed by everyone, did not have their own home.
"What's wrong?"
Eloise placed the flower crown on the haystack and went to greet her, her face filled with concern and moonlight.
It was a suffocating silence.
Only that damned ticking sound echoed across the empty stage, growing louder and louder.
Just as the audience held their breath, pondering and waiting for Matthew to say something, the handsome young man finally spoke.
"The clock tower is cracked."
His voice was dry and hoarse, not like him at all.
"The steward said that in order to repair the residence of the Divine Sound and to ensure the purity of the bell's sound... we must pay more silver coins, otherwise the bell will not ring."
"...How much?" Eloise asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Matthew said, his head down.
"Ten..."
Mignis, sitting in the audience, heard a low gasp from the back row, followed by two occasional low curses.
'That lord is a real scoundrel!'
'Silver coins...where would you find those in the countryside?'
This is hardly a renovation.
This is clearly exploitation!
Their sense of immersion was still too strong.
Perhaps it was because they both had beautiful fantasies about love, and the lovable Eloise looked exactly like their ideal lover.
Not just the gentlemen present, but also the ladies.
Having seen many fierce knights, this was indeed the first time they had met such a lovely gentleman. Although it did not evoke any romantic fantasies in them, it thoroughly ignited their maternal instincts.
Feelings are like water in a cup; if too much water is poured into one cup, it will overflow into the other cups.
Unfortunately, not everyone can afford a front-row seat. Mignes could see that Matthew didn't have an Adam's apple, but they couldn't see it even if they craned their necks. They really thought he was a handsome young man.
Besides the audience members sitting in the back public area, a furious curse, full of immersive emotion, also rang out from the VIP boxes above the theater.
However, Baron Guts was not identifying with the newlyweds, but with the lord who was still just a shadow.
This is slander!
"Which nobleman is this? I absolutely refuse to believe that Campbell has such a nobleman!"
“By Saint Sith… I am also a lord, and I have tens of thousands of men under my command. How come I have never heard of any country farmer being able to save up silver coins?!”
The servant standing beside him didn't dare to breathe, but inwardly he was both amused and exasperated.
master……
That's a stage play.
If you actually brought a farmer from your territory to perform, would you sit here and watch?
Moreover, your people are so poor that they can't even save up silver coins, and they have to leave their homes to work in Thunder City... Is that something to be proud of?
People's joys and sorrows are not shared, and the clues to their resonance are obviously different.
Baron Guss felt offended, and the citizens present not only felt offended in reality, but also felt a fire burning in their hearts.
Marriage is just a starting point.
The core of this resonance is that the desire for power can never be satisfied.
If they have five, the price will become ten. And if they have ten, the price will become twenty... The things on the shelves can be bought with money, while the things in the hands of the lords are like carrots that a donkey can never bite.
The lights focused on Eloise's pale face.
Like all gentle and considerate Campbell girls, she embraced her husband, holding his bowed head in her arms.
They became each other's roof beams.
"...I'll think of another way. I'll definitely make that bell ring." Matthew seemed to have regained his courage, raising his firm and hopeful gaze.
Just like the strong and brave Campbells.
However, the ticking of the clock continued.
The countdown to the trial had not ended, and Mignis, sitting in the audience, felt as if his heart was about to be ripped out of his chest.
He had forgotten about the champagne by the armrest.
The sound of the pocket watch became the only background music in his ears, drawing everyone's attention to the stage on this cold night.
Including Baron Guts, who was sitting in the VIP box.
He crossed his arms angrily, stared coldly at the stage, and shook his leg under the table, wanting to see how these guys would perform.
When the audience below the stage and the actors on the stage are both on stage, and regardless of their status, they all find their place on the stage.
Good show—
The show has finally officially begun.
...
The cold light of the night turned into the spring sun, and as the scenery on the curtain wall changed, a boy named Matthew ran on the stage.
His trial has begun.
Fine beads of sweat covered his forehead, and his chest heaved like the bellows beside a forge.
The first stop was the lord's accounting office.
On the high stool, the butler slowly flipped through the account book without even lifting his eyelids.
“Borrow money? No lord would ever lend money to a peasant. You should go to those moneylenders. You’ve come to the wrong place.”
That's the truth.
Gus nodded in satisfaction, although his steward was not so rude as to directly point the way to the moneylenders, and the peasant had no chance of entering his accounting office.
Changing the butler to a regular servant would be more realistic; someone who could meet his butler would have to be at least of the rank of Senator Horace.
"How could you do this? They are all man-eating wolves!" Matthew's voice was filled with anger and a hint of suppressed sobs.
The ladies and noblewomen in the theater all showed expressions of heartache, and some even took out handkerchiefs to cover their mouths to prevent their tears from smearing their rouge on their lips.
The butler's voice remained cold and unapproachable, as icy as the wine cellar of a castle.
"Rules are rules. But our baron is currently at war, fighting against the evil duke and the citizens. You're still quite robust."
He took out a piece of parchment and pressed it against Matthew's chest.
“Sign it, sell your time to our lord, pick up a gun and fight those greedy citizens, and these five silver coins are yours.”
"How long will this war last?" Matthew asked, his hands trembling as he took the document.
The butler said coldly.
"It might end next month, but that's none of your business. Your term of service is five years."
Five years.
That was the most precious time of his life, and also the most precious time of her life as a newlywed.
Matthew's hands trembled, his eyes struggled, but he finally took the quill and signed his name on the parchment.
He was willing to sell his time for Eloise's happiness. He believed that Saint Sith would let him go home after the war was over.
"You have three days left to report to the military camp in three days."
The steward tossed him the silver coins in a condescending manner, then casually stuffed the indenture into a drawer.
Matthew continued running, the cheerful music turning into a heavy bass, indicating that the trial was not over and misfortune had not let him go.
The background has been changed to a clock tower.
Matthew grabbed the money bag, stretched out his trembling hand, and handed it to the clock tower steward.
However, the clock tower steward merely glanced contemptuously at the bag of warm silver coins.
"unfortunately."
The steward pointed to the silent giant bell above his head.
"The hemp rope that pulls the clock broke when we were testing it just now. We'll need to replace it with a new one, which will cost five more."
An uproar erupted in the audience.
Even Mignis felt indignant and dissatisfied with that arrogant attitude.
However, this was only the beginning.
The lights changed again, this time to the fabric workshop filled with the smell of dye.
Matthew knelt on the ground, facing the bloated cloth shop owner, the only person he could still plead with.
"Please lend me the money; I can give you five years of my life from now!"
"Your time is worthless to me."
The cloth shop owner exhaled a smoke ring, his eyes greedy, yet he pretended to be generous.
"However, I really like your livestock shed and the land around it. I can lend you five silver coins. Once you have enough money, you can pay me back, and the collateral will still be yours."
Matthew gritted his teeth.
For Eloise, for the girl who smiled shyly under the flower crown, he finally sold his only home.
They lost their freedom and their land.
This hardworking, brave, and loyal young man from Campbell stripped himself bare, just to get a bell to ring.
Holding the heavy silver coins, he stood before the clock tower steward once more.
This time, the manager couldn't find an excuse.
However, all the viewers knew that this greedy vampire would not let the young man named Matthew off so easily.
Everyone, including Mignis, was wondering what the steward in charge of ringing the bell would do to him next.
The hunched old man was casually shaving his nails.
"The gears of the clock tower are stuck and need the finest whale oil to lubricate them... This is no small sum; it will cost 10 silver coins."
Matthew on stage was filled with despair.
Mignis, sitting in the audience, almost burst out laughing.
Traditional bronze bells don't have gears; they just ring by pulling the bell tongue and shaking it a couple of times.
However, before the smile could reach the corners of his mouth, it froze on his chin.
Yes, traditional wall clocks don't have gears.
This is no longer robbery under a pretext, but a spiritual erosion and a trampling of personality!
The lords didn't need those five silver coins at all; the silver coins were just a means for them.
They want to make him unable to repay his debts, to keep him constantly on the go, to strip him of his dignity, and to turn him into a slave.
This is more important than money.
That's the goal.
On stage, Matthew slumped to the floor, his eyes vacant. He had lost everything; what could he use to lubricate those gears that didn't even exist?
At this moment, the light became ambiguous and viscous.
The clock tower steward leaned down, like a devil tempting a good person to fall, and whispered in Matthew's ear.
"There is another way."
The entire room fell silent.
"If the bride is willing to go to the castle to receive the lord's 'blessing,' the blessing bells will ring..."
The manager's voice carried a nauseating undertone.
"Her wreath still belongs to you, but for your own good, we need to conduct a sacred examination."
That word wasn't mentioned.
But everyone understood what he was saying.
That was a dark cloud that hung over the heads of all commoners, the most filthy festering sore under the so-called "noble glory"—the "right of the first night".
But the brilliance of this script lies in the fact that it does not explicitly state the word. Although Baron Guts, sitting in the VIP box, is furious, he cannot find a point to refute it.
While the concept of the "right of the first night" is a slander, a "chastity tax" did exist, though it was often waived for marriages within the same village, or it was simply collected as a symbolic payment for doing some work.
It must be said that Campbell's aristocracy did have some heritage.
Even a man like Baron Gus, who has almost lost all his honor, wouldn't slam his sword on the table like that count in the summer palace of Roland, constantly losing face and yet enjoying it.
"Get out! I despise you!"
A roar exploded on the stage.
Matthew shoved aside the clock tower steward, who was hunched over like a hyena, and stumbled into the darkness.
He believed that traditional wall clocks needed gears to operate and whale oil for lubrication.
He also believed that through hard work, the bell could ring.
The clock tower steward did not stop him from running, but watched him disappear into the shadows as gracefully as the shadows that symbolized lord and authority.
The background music turned upbeat and absurd, and then the girl named Eloise took the stage.
Her flower crown was already woven, but perhaps because she had waited too long, the wild roses had withered, and the edges of the petals had turned yellowish.
However, it was still her most precious treasure, surpassing all the most magnificent jewels in the world.
She didn't come here to cause trouble.
Instead, they came to beg for mercy.
"gentlemen."
Eloise's voice trembled slightly, carrying a humble fear of disturbing the gods, hiding her pity and sorrow beneath her lowered eyelashes.
She simply couldn't bear to see Matthew suffer those pains alone.
Although it was a flower crown she had prepared for a long time, for which she had searched the entire forest, she was willing to give anything to bring that innocent smile back to Matthew's face.
"I would like to offer my wreath to the bell tower."
She raised her hands high and offered the wreath of flowers to the figure in the darkness.
"I only ask that you let the bells ring."
Miguel, sitting in the audience, felt a tightness in his chest. He finally remembered the champagne he had only taken a sip of, and picked it up again to take another sip.
The steward of the clock tower turned around.
The light shone on his profile, illuminating his flickering smile, like a patient hunter watching his prey walk right into his trap.
"corolla?"
He reached out, but instead of taking the wreath, he gently lifted a strand of hair that had fallen across Eloise's forehead.
He admired the innocence and purity on the latter's face... and all the beautiful qualities that the Campbellians had written into fairy tales, all of which turned into terror under the cover of darkness.
He said in a very soft voice.
"Child, the crown tax is not paid with crowns."
The flower crown fell to the ground.
The petals were scattered all over the ground, like a shattered heart.
Eloise knelt down.
Her knees slammed against the wooden floor with a dull thud that made your teeth ache. Large tears fell into the cracks in the floor, and suppressed sobs echoed from below the stage.
"What can I offer in exchange? I... these are all I have left."
The cries were filled with despair.
Her skirt was draped on the ground like a broken wing.
"I beg you, I implore you to ring that bell for us tomorrow at dusk, just once."
Miguel, sitting in the audience, gripped the armrests tightly, as if he were holding onto his heart pounding in his throat.
He could feel that suffocating sensation.
Even with ropes around their necks and river water filling their boots, the common people enslaved by feudalism would not consider whether it was reasonable, but would instead beg their lord to loosen the ropes and bring them onto the boat as well.
Little did they know that the ropes were put on by the lords themselves; they were perfectly fine on the bank until they were kicked into the river.
That damned feudalism...
It destroyed more than just love.
Mignis cursed inwardly, wishing he were holding a musket instead of the armrest of the chair.
on stage.
The steward took a step closer.
The leather boots stomped on the creaking wooden floor, and they stomped on the hearts of every audience member.
"You are not without anything."
The voice was soft, yet scalding hot like poison.
"Elois".
"Your fiancé has already given up land, freedom, and dignity for your marriage; he has truly given everything for your love."
Don't you want to do something for him?
Eloise's fear reached its peak along with the increasingly intense music. She curled up, involuntarily shrinking back, but still couldn't escape the relentless approaching footsteps.
"Now."
The steward's hand touched her cheek, then pointed to the darkness deep within the stage. It was a tightly closed black door, symbolizing the path to the castle, but also the path to the abyss.
It is only open to specific people when the lord needs it.
"It's your turn to make the final sacrifice for your happiness."
"My lord, we are waiting for you."
The atmosphere on and off the stage reached a climax simultaneously.
Eloise let out a piercing scream, not even bothering to pick up the flower crown on the ground, and ran towards the shadows of the stage.
This is a trap—
She finally realized.
Watching its prey disappear into the shadows, the clock tower steward, like a hunting dog, did not give chase. He simply stood there, straightening his not-too-disheveled cuffs.
Then.
He turned around and bowed deeply to the black door, his impeccable manners even more elegant than those of a nobleman. Although that elegance, combined with his hunched back, made the whole stage seem even more comical and ironic.
The audience below the stage forgot to breathe, and even Baron Guts, sitting in the VIP box, couldn't help but freeze his heartbeat at the smile on that face.
Saint Sith above...
The man who rings the castle bell is so terrifying, like a demon wandering in a labyrinth. How come he never noticed before?
Of course, he couldn't decipher the meaning behind that smile from his high and mighty position.
However, Miguel, sitting in the audience, could understand the meaning behind that smile—
You can't escape.
She did not escape.
The entire castle belonged to the lord, and even though the lord never appeared on stage, the audience knew perfectly well where he was, omnipresent.
The stage lights shifted from cold to warm, and it was dusk on the second day. The dramatic stage performance finally came to an end.
The soothing wedding march played on the lawn, and the children brought out benches, which were soon filled with the laughter of the villagers.
The money has been raised.
The hardworking and brave Matthew certainly lived up to their expectations.
They were right about the young man, and life in the village improved day by day, and everything returned to its former tranquility.
But the children who brought the benches were nowhere to be seen, and those sitting on the tables were all elderly people on their deathbeds, which seemed to foreshadow the future of the village.
Instead of a sumptuous feast, the table was set with sparse boiled beans and a clear noodle soup.
The ticking of the pocket watch finally disappeared, as if it had never existed.
The old shoemaker sat at the church entrance smoking, seemingly only he knew that the trial was over, and another couple had passed the sacred test.
The audience was equally unable to relax, as the blood-red sunset stretched the shadow of the church, which should have been reassuring, into an elongated shape.
Matthew stood at the village entrance waiting all night and then all day, and finally, a glimmer of hope ignited in his weary eyes.
Eloise has appeared!
Her breathtaking beauty caused Miguel to hold his breath, his heart pausing for a second.
The simple coarse cloth dress was gone; she was now wearing a pure white evening gown with intricate ribbons... clearly not the kind of clothing that ordinary people could buy with silver or copper coins.
The wreaths that had withered from waiting also disappeared, replaced by a vibrant garland of roses.
Not only that, she wore delicate light makeup and bright red lipstick, which concealed her original haggardness and sorrow.
That seemed to be compensation for her.
Matthew was unaware.
The actor named "Little Eagle" played the role of an incompetent husband very well, running over like a child who had received candy.
He wanted to take her hand and lead her into the brightly lit church behind them.
"Elois, you're finally back! I've been waiting for you for so long!"
"The butler suddenly told me that the lord agreed to offer his blessing to us, and we don't need to pay for the wedding... As for the money we borrowed before, I'll figure out how to get it back. Everything will be alright."
Eloise withdrew her hand.
Her body trembled, like the last leaf hanging in the autumn wind, swaying in this season of spring warmth and blooming flowers.
"Elois?"
Matthew was stunned, not understanding what was wrong with his fiancée.
Eloise didn't say anything.
She remained silent for a long time in the twilight, then gently raised her head, and with it, her heartbreaking eyes.
"Matthew."
The soothing background music paused briefly, allowing the light, airy sound to travel across the stage and reach every corner of the theater.
Would you... live with me in a place where there are no bells?
Matthew froze on the spot.
For a peasant who has been disciplined by theocracy and lords since birth, this statement is tantamount to asking him to betray the entire world.
"But……"
He looked blankly at the church, at the silent giant bell.
"A wedding must have bells. Without bells, we are..."
It is unclean.
He is also a sinner.
Eloise closed her eyes, two lines of clear tears sliding down her delicate makeup, washing away a pale trace.
Looking at Eloise's heartbreaking face, the girl who always supported him no matter what, something within Matthew finally shattered.
He reached out and this time embraced her shoulders, pulling the beautiful Eloise into his arms.
There is no legal basis whatsoever.
Only two loving souls and tightly intertwined heartbeats.
"I do!"
Screw the bells—
Screw the castle!
Screw feudalism!
The soul-stirring roar did not resonate on the stage, but it resonated in the hearts of the audience below, and even in the heart of Baron Guts.
He even temporarily forgot that he actually owned a castle.
Sitting in the audience, Mignis also felt a surge of tears welling up in his eyes, and the long-lost passion surged in his chest once again.
This should be the second time.
The last time was on the deck of a ship bound for Thunder City, where a beautiful girl rekindled his youthful competitiveness and impulsiveness.
This time, however, it was a completely different kind of emotion—
Praise the Republic!
Although he was not from Campbell, he had never felt such a strong hope in his heart as he did now.
Only by destroying that feudal castle can the light of the common people truly shine on this land, instead of overthrowing them in the name of holiness.
The curtain slowly fell, freezing the stage in that impactful final scene—
The foreground shows lovers embracing in the sunset, while the background features a full church and an absent bride and groom.
Although the ending is open-ended, the audience, who have already resonated with the stage, know what awaits them next.
They probably can't escape.
Eloise in the clock tower had already tried once, and trying again would only lead to the same result; in fact, standing up the lord would only make things worse.
Matthew could never buy back his five years at the original price, and the cloth merchant who acted as the lord's clerk would never allow him to buy the deed with his own money.
Although the previous plot did not discuss interest, it does exist; it's just that Matthew, being a farmer, was unaware of it.
He only knows where the whip is when it strikes him.
Then came the war.
The script subtly mentions that their baron is at war with the duke.
In any case, their lives can never go back to the way they were.
However, the only hope remained in that memorable ending, because everyone present knew the outcome of the Fuyutsuki Coup.
Applause erupted in the theater.
At first, there were only a few scattered sounds, but then, like a flood bursting its banks, it instantly engulfed the entire theater. Even Baron Guth, who had vowed to write to the Grand Duke, couldn't help but stand up and applaud the captivating performance.
Saint Sith above...
I never imagined stage plays could be performed like this!
The last time a stage play could excite him this much was when a theater troupe accidentally set the stage curtain on fire.
Although he felt offended as a lord, he thought that the sleep-inducing holy light operas and hero-versus-demon dramas he had seen before were at least worth the ticket price.
He was not asleep.
Moreover, my mood rose and fell with the rhythm of the music, sometimes sweating profusely on my back, and sometimes unable to help but pray for the actors on stage.
He lowered his hands, which were red from clapping, looked at the servant beside him, and gave orders with a stern face.
"The chastity tax must be abolished! Let Matthew save the money for their future family; I don't need his penny!"
The servant looked at the baron, whose eyes were red with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, and after a long pause, he finally spoke hesitantly.
“My lord… we don’t have those things anymore in our territory. In the entire Duchy of Campbell, they probably only exist in parts of the Earldom of North Creek Valley and the Earldom of Spinor.”
He actually felt that Mr. Guss had no reason to be so agitated.
After all, given his level of education, he could tell that the script criticized feudalism itself, the traitors who sided with the king of the neighboring country during the Winter Coup, and those nobles who truly exploited the people.
As a victor united around the Duke, it was a gentlemanly act to present flowers on the stage, and he actually advised Mr. Gus to do so instead.
And they can do this with their heads held high because they know they are on the side of justice.
“I see…” Baron Guss’s smile was somewhat awkward. He coughed and said with a stern face, “Earl Derek is really too wicked!”
The curtain rises once again.
All the actors walked to the front of the stage.
"Kiki," who plays Eloise, stands in the middle with "Little Eagle," who plays Matthew. All the actors in the troupe bow deeply to the audience below who are clapping wildly and even standing up to shout.
The theater owner and Mr. Punk, the "boss behind the boss," both stood behind the scenes, their palms sweating.
Queen Street has never been as lively at night as it is tonight!
It can't even compare to when Colin Group went public!
They could almost foresee how crazy people would be tomorrow!
Perhaps they should expedite the printing of posters for "Elois" and "Matthew." I wonder if the printing plant owner is asleep right now.
The people's enthusiasm seemed to melt the entire night. Although "The Bell Tolls" is a tragedy, the actors on stage expressed their innermost feelings.
Instead of throwing their suffering onto the chopping block, shaming them with holy light, and then cutting open their mouths to carve their smiles.
Looking at the cheering and applauding crowd, Kiki breathed a sigh of relief and responded with a "Lois" smile.
That sweet smile remained in the hearts of every viewer, and perhaps many young men from Campbell will have trouble sleeping for a long time tonight.
By Bayeris—
Kiki silently prayed in her heart, thanking the Demon King for his blessing. Her mission was completed smoothly, and no adventurer suddenly drew their sword at her.
Given how well she performed, there's probably no need to worry about her being turned into a "succubus" by Miss Vivian Colin...
At this moment, she has no idea that tomorrow she and the character she plays will cause a sensation throughout Thunder City, and even the Demon King will have to praise her acting skills.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com