Old Merck was sitting on the carriage to Squirrel Street.
He was one of the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe’s veteran performers, someone with actual acting skills. When it comes to some aged peasant or stooped old man character, Old Merck would always be the one performing them on the stage plays.
Apart from that, he had another identity in the troupe — set assembler. Many of the stage play’s settings were completed by him and his team.
Luckily, he received an important supporting role in the audition, the employer of the male lead, Tony.
Today, they will be performing the first scene of ‘Léon: The Demon.’ Old Merck just so happened to be one of the characters that would be present.
The horse carriage slowly stopped beside Squirrel Street. Old Merck tidied up his clothing and got out the carriage.
Taking into consideration that the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe composed of hundreds of members and the Flower of Farucci, a person with great influence, Joshua only designated several performers of the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe to come and film the first scene.
Nevertheless, five entire carriages came to Squirrel Street. A portion of them were performers not arranged to perform today. They came here with the intention of experiencing filming and enjoying the excitement of ‘Léon: The Demon.’
The female actress in the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe, Miss Gallolei, was one of the people who came here to watch the filming process. She was also the female lead in ‘Léon: The Demon.’ While she didn’t have to film any scene today, she still decided to follow the fleet of carriages to Squirrel Street.
Old Merck took a glance at Gallolei from afar. Today, the Black Swan was dressed very simple and plain. She had resolutely chopped off her long black hair, the envy of countless women, and changed her hairstyle to the one the female lead in the movie had.
Old Merck has read the script for the movie and also seen the impression sketch of the characters drawn by Joshua’s assistant. Thus, he was able to tell that Gallolei’s attire today was exactly the same as the movie’s female lead Mathilda.
No one possesses any objection to Gallolei being the female lead. The only thing the people from the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe were curious about was who the male lead was.
With this question in his mind, Old Merck followed after the other members of the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe and several guards. Together, they arrived at the entrance of a tavern.
“Everyone, welcome.”
Joshua has been waiting inside the tavern for some time now. Across from the tavern was hotel Black Dove.
The owner of this tavern was a midget that paid careful attention to details. As such, the tavern was decorated pretty well.
Using his old trick, smashing a midget with a pile of gold, Joshua successfully reserved the tavern for several days.
Old Merck walked into the tavern. He began to check out the surroundings. He soon noticed that there was an... uncommunicative looking man standing beside Joshua.
His hands were crossed before his body. He was wearing pitch-black circular glasses. On his head was a black beanie. His rough beard stubble gave him a middle-aged appearance. He seemed like someone who had gone through a lot of hardships.
Seeing that man... Old Merck had an impulse of pointing at him and shouting ‘Léon!’
He resembled the character Léon too much! Old Merck took out the script Joshua handed to everyone in the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe from his briefcase. From the script, he took out the impression sketch for the male lead Léon. The man standing beside Joshua looked practically identical to the impression sketch of Léon.
It was so much that Old Merck felt like that man would take out a knife the next moment and place it on his neck before saying ‘Do you understand?’
“There’s more people here than I was expecting. But, that’s alright. Before we officially begin, I have several things to discuss with you all.”
Joshua swept his eyes across the members of the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe. The majority of them were unfamiliar faces. When Joshua’s eyes landed on Gallolei, they lingered on the Black Swan for a moment.
Her transformation was simply immense. Her heavily adorned dress and waist-long hair were gone. The current Gallolei looked like a girl next door and not the unreachable Black Swan on the stage.
“Firstly, this person here is the male lead for this movie. I know you all must be questioning who he is. But, this place is the filming site and not a noble’s social ball. Thus, we speak using acting skills here. If any one of you feel like you can be more suited for the male lead role than him, you can tell me right now.”
Joshua pointed to Deceiver Pluk who stood beside him.
Deceiver Pluk was won over by Joshua yesterday with a filthy attack using money and eloquence. He ended up agreeing to cooperate with Joshua.
No one from the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe expressed any dissatisfaction. It would seem that they all felt Pluk’s aura to fit the male lead very well.
“Secondly, Madam Schroder must’ve told some of you to come here to learn how to make movies.”
Joshua opened a suitcase placed on the wooden table next to him. He took out a camera and several originium crystals capable of recording on the table.
The camera and the originium crystals were the most crucial secrets to filmmaking. When the arcanotech device was placed on the table, it immediately caught the eyes of many members from the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe.
This included today’s main character Old Merck.
It was as Joshua said. Madam Schroder had ordered Old Merck to make sure to learn how to make movies.
As a behind-the-scenes worker, Old Merck naturally accepted the task. Because of that, he even went out of his way to bring over several apprentices to participate in the filming for ‘Léon: The Demon.’
“The method of creation for this arcanotech device is a trade secret. Because of that, I cannot reveal it right now. But, I am able to share how to use it with you all. You all can interact with my camera operator ladies at any given time.”
Josha spoke with a very significant tone.
Camera operator?
Old Merck noticed Joshua had revealed some information with his words – the manufacturing of movies required not only performers but also another important existence, camera operator.
Old Merck originally thought ‘movies’ had something to do with complex magic constructions. But, judging from what Joshua said, it seemed like it was purely created through the usage of an arcanotech device. As for the camera operators, they would be people who specialized in using that arcanotech device.
He cannot believe how open Joshua was. If it was those stingy alchemists, they will definitely not let them, outsiders, learn the slightest bit of knowledge about the arcanotech devices they made.
“Mister Joshua, may I ask where those camera operators you spoke of are?”
Old Merck raised his hand to ask that question.
He was itching to learn the method of using a camera. He was certain that the new arcanotech device before them will spread through the world in the future. Camera operators will become much more important than stage setters.
This was even more so since it seemed like the camera operators... were a bunch of young women? It was a much more delightful task than trying to consult for advice from some old man.
The other stage setters that came with Old Merck seemed to become excited too.
“Oh, them? They’re already here. Come out ladies... it’s time to work.”
Joshua clapped his hand. The Duke of Bones’ imprint on Joshua’s hand let out a faint light.
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Translator YangWenli:
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