Farucci’s Mansion. Since it was established in Norland, today would be the most luminous day for Farucci’s Mansion.
The Archduchess of Blackwood, Madam Schroder, had invited practically all the major nobles in Norland to her mansion. She did not care if the nations those nobles belonged to had a good relationship with Farucci or not.
The reason for that was because today was the announcement of the change of an era!
In the past, when Farucci was faced with destruction, a young woman raised up her flag and initiated a massive revolution and drove out all the enemies of Farucci from their territory. At the same time, she overthrew the incomparably ignorant ruler of Farucci at that time and officially proclaimed the arrival of Farucci’s cultural revitalization.
Ever since then, great composers and playwrights have continued to emerge from the country of Farucci. Great works capable of being passed on for all eternity continued to be born from that country. Farucci also gained the title of the Nation of Art.
But, even though they possessed that title, not everyone in the world accepted Farucci’s stage plays and theater works.
Take the Nation of Steel and the Nation of Ice for example. Those ‘barbarians’ have always viewed art to be beneath contempt.
But, today’s screening of ‘Léon: The Demon’ will completely overthrow Farucci’s former stage plays and theatrical works.
The simplest example would be the students of Farucci’s major theatrical schools will not aspire to become a great stage performer post graduation. Instead, they would aspire to become movie actors and actresses.
What Madam Schroder felt slightly regretful was... she was not the person who raised the banner of the change in era. Instead, it was a demon from the demon realm.
Fortunately, Madam Schroder did not have to overthrow an ignorant monarch. She gladly accepted the tide signaling the change of an era.
“I pay my respect to the Grand Duchess of Blackwood.”
Over a dozen luxuriously decorated carriages were stopped outside Madam Schroder’s mansion. Even though Madam Schroder wrote that it was a ‘premiere for a movie’ on her invitation letter, the majority of the nobles regarded her invitation as an opportunity for social intercourse...
In a splendid attire, Madam Schroder was standing at the side of the main hall and nodding at the arriving nobles. She was not planning to welcome those nobles personally. Instead, she was paying attention to her servants and making sure they place the ‘posters’ at the correct locations in the mansion.
“Lean it a bit left. No, that’s too much! It’s affecting the overall arrangement! Bring it a bit up! Men! Remove those two paintings on this wall! No, remove those three paintings!”
Over a dozen servants were busying themselves at a wall under Madam Schroder’s command. Not even the team in charge of getting the incoming nobles had that many people.
Two of the servants were holding an enormous picture frame. The picture frame was twelve feet long and nearly nine feet wide... It was so large that it seemed difficult to carry even with two people.
Stageplays also used ‘posters’ to publicize themselves. The only difference from a movie’s poster was that the stageplays’ posters were hand drawn.
The wall on Farucci’s Mansion was practically covered in the posters from the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe’s past performances.
But today, before the poster for ‘Léon: The Demon,’ Madam Schroder actually felt those other posters to be somewhat irksome to her eyes.
“Remove that sculpture over there too.”
Madam Schroder gave another order. She made several more adjustments. Only then did the servants finally place the poster at the place Madam Schroder found suitable.
Madam Schroder looked at the poster and nodded her head. The picture on the poster was that of the main male and female characters Léon and Mathilda walking on the street. Mathilda was holding a potted plant and a little stuffed bear in a slightly clumsy manner. Léon, the cold killer walking next to her, was holding a wooden suitcase.
Using her authority as a ‘movie investor,’ Madam Schroder has watched the completed version of ‘Léon: The Demon,’ before everyone else.
Even though she has been in close proximity to the filming of the movie multiple times, she was still unable to help herself from becoming deeply immersed in the movie.
Her daughter Gallolei will become known as an actress in one of the classic movies because of her role in playing Mathilda.
“Karana, so the reason why you were refusing our invitation to an afternoon tea recently was because you were making a movie.”
Karana was Madam Schroder’s real name. Only a few noble ladies were able to address Madam Schroder by her real name in the city of Norland. They were also Madam Schroder’s friends.
“The World Expo has pushed forward the growth of this era. The Black Swan Theatrical Troupe couldn’t possibly continue to stay in the past,” said Madam Schroder.
The Grand Duchess of Blackwood’s calm response caught the nobles that came at a loss for words.
They all knew that Madam Schroder was the real manager behind the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe. As the manager of Farucci’s most renowned theatrical troupe, she has always been intensely proud of the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe’s performances.
But, from what she just said, she seemed to be indicating stage plays will become a thing of the past. What many of the Farucci’s nobles were thinking could be described by the famous saying of an orc... ‘Times change!'[1]
.........
General Fred entered Farucci’s Mansion with his student Prince Kaos.
Kaos was forced to sit in the vehicle by the two knights their entire way here. Because of that, he was pondering if his teacher would be throwing him into Norland’s filthy and dangerous underground arena and have him fight Cave Giants as a punishment.
But, to his surprise, the destination they stopped at was not the dirty and chaotic Squirrel Street.
The place they’re going to was not an arena filled with the blood and roars from different races. Instead, it was Farucci’s Mansion. Furthermore, the Farucci’s Mansion seemed to be celebrating something.
The gorgeously dressed young noble ladies were gathered together in the mansion chatting and laughing with one another. The servants pushed forth carts filled with delicacies into the main hall.
This was a majestic social party. But, Kaos remembered that there shouldn’t be anything for Farucci to celebrate recently. Even during their celebration of their nation day, he remembered that the Farucci’s Mansion would not celebrate in such a grand manner.
Soon, Kaos’s line of sight looked to the wall on the back of the main hall. On the wall was the poster for ‘Léon: The Demon.’ The moment he saw the poster, he immediately realized what was going on.
Today was the premiere for a new movie! Furthermore, the performers of the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe were acting in it!
As a fan of ‘Beauty and the Demon,’ Kaos deeply looked forward to the new movie.
“The premiere for ‘Léon: The Demon...’ Teacher, could you have come here to watch that?”
Kaos looked to General Fred. Even though he would always talk about not wanting to waste his time on those sort of meaningless things, he went out of his way to search him out and bring him to Farucci’s Mansion all so that they could watch the premiere of a new movie.
General Fred did not answer Kaos. His ice-cold expression signaled that if Kaos dared to continue to linger on this question, he would very likely be thrown into the Nation of Steel’s army barracks tomorrow so that he can continue on with the cruel training he has undergone during his childhood period.
Kaos didn’t plan to continue to argue with this stubborn old man. He directly walked toward the reception hall.
There were a lot of beautiful girls in Farucci’s Mansion. Many of the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe’s female performers were there too.
They were people that many men in this world dreamed of. Unfortunately, the lead female actress in the movie being premiered in Farucci’s Mansion was not Belle. If it was her, Kaos might be able to meet her here.
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[1] [Reference to the cinematic trailer for World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor.’]