episode_0030

After some time, I made contact with Professor Gabi as a Phantom.

I sat alone at my desk refining an idea that was at the brainstorming level.

I had a serious hangover from drinking too much the night before.

“Ugh, my head hurts.”

‘I’m crazy. I’m drinking so much hard liquor, of all things.’

I accepted the role of the main character through the professor’s ‘introduction’.

The playwright decided to receive guidance from the Gelorusina Theatre Company until the script for The Phantom was completed.

So the professor bought him some elven liquor for his hard work, but he drank too much of it and suffered from side effects.

‘But it was more delicious than I thought.’

Could it be because it’s the elven liquor of the World Tree?

Although it was strong, the aftertaste was clean and the flavor was great. I also liked that there was no alcohol smell on my body after drinking it.

Moreover, I was so excited by the thought of getting an A+ that I splurged on alcohol, saying, “WA! Free alcohol that someone else bought me!” and am now paying the price.

Today is a precious weekend for the Academy cadets. Their roommate Maurice has already gone out on a date with his girlfriend.

Thanks to that, I was just sitting here alone, playing with my pen, but I didn’t have the energy to be lazy right now.

If you were to use Xiang Yu as the main character, there would be a mountain of parts to cut and adapt.

“Haa, this.”

When I actually tried to write it, it turned out to be a bigger headache to adapt than Admiral Yi Sun-sin or Julius Caesar?

The heroes of the Chu-Han conflict, Xiang Yu and Liu Bang, are literally ‘Chinese’ heroes.

From the perspective of the Chinese, who have only population left, it may not be very exciting to see tens of thousands of people die in droves.

You can package as smart the actions of giving up honor and blood relations to pursue only practical gain for the sake of victory.

… … But the position of a person from a medieval otherworld is completely different.

‘Let’s boldly edit out any parts that are too crude or cruel.’

The audience must be shocked by the protagonist’s actions and completely empathize with him.

In addition, the political background of the character Xiang Yu was also a problem.

Xiang Yu was the one who, while living, displayed a behavior that was reckless and far superior to that of Cao Cao in Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Didn’t Xiang Yu, as a child, suddenly have a flash of inspiration while watching the procession of the Emperor of Qin on his tour of the accounting region?

[I will definitely kill that guy and take his place!]

‘Even if it’s a work with an exotic concept, it’s like that. If a mere nobleman makes such a statement to the emperor, there’s no way to handle the consequences.’

Furthermore, Xiang Yu even assassinated Emperor Yi of Chu, the symbol of anti-Qin and his own monarch, because he was annoyed by him.

This is not only cruel, but also a clear act of treason. If the main character did something like this, wouldn’t the theater be turned upside down?

So, first of all, I decided to drastically revise the background setting of the Chronicles of the First Han Dynasty.

The Unified Jin Empire was reduced to the level of a kingdom that simply destroyed other countries and remained alone.

The character of Emperor Qi was also deleted, and Xiang Yu and Liu Bang were established as the descendants of the kings of a country destroyed by the Qin Dynasty.

The royal family of a fallen nation takes revenge on the forces that destroyed their homeland and reclaims the throne?

It would be great as a character motivation, and it would also avoid inevitable political friction, right?

As for other parts, we decided to gradually trim codes that would only work in ‘China’ and revise them to fit more universal values.

Yeah, that’s all good, but… …

“Ouch, I have a headache.”

The history of Chohan is such a vast and complex subject that it’s difficult to deal with. And with the hangover bombs flying in pairs, I feel like my skull is going to break.

‘The Philosopher’s Stone, that one. While it’ll speed up your writing, it’ll also give you the brainpower to come up with ideas in a second.’

While I was thinking about exactly how to organize the plot neatly.

Knock knock!

“Huh?”

Suddenly, someone knocked on the dormitory door.

Morris was still a long way from his date. Even if he had, he would have found his way in with his key.

“I’m going out. Just a moment.”

I quickly hid the note I had been scribbling on just a moment ago in a drawer.

And then I walked up to the door and clicked, unlocked it… …

“Huh? Senior?”

“Hello, Balthazar? Are you busy? I hope I didn’t bother you.”

… … I immediately ran into Senior Rosalind Wenford, who was standing blankly at the entrance.

Our senior Rosalind, who is famous for being honest.

When Admiral Lee was writing, he came into the boys’ dormitory once, and now he has no qualms about breaking the school rules?

“How are you, Balthazar? How’s your performance as the main character in the new work by the Phantom writer going?”

“Yes. So-so.”

Crunch!

Rosalind asks while pouring a cup of fragrant tea.

At this, I just gave an awkward smile.

In fact, when I accepted the lead role in , I set one condition.

The identity of the main actor, Baltasar Arture, must be kept an absolute secret from the outside world.

Since I’m going to dress up as an oriental elf warrior anyway, it’ll be hard to tell who I am just by looking at my face.

‘I’m already living a double life, so it’s a headache if people around me are paying attention to me.’

Only three people can share the secret that I was chosen as the lead role in the new ‘Phantom’.

Professor Gabi, who recruited me, and my roommate, Maurice.

… … And then there was Rosalind, the senior who was closest to Morris at the academy.

“I came to encourage you to work hard, but your face is completely pale.”

Rosalind came over and sat down next to me, holding a teacup. She looked at me with a very pitiful look in her eyes and said.

“You must have been very nervous, right? You must have had a hard time because of the pressure of working with such a genius?”

No, not really.

My complexion is ashen because I have a hangover. I am a great writer myself, so why should I feel burdened?

But I can’t just confess here, ‘I’m a Phantom.’

“Haha, well. I guess so. Don’t worry too much. Thanks for the tea.”

I sipped the tea that Rosalind gave me and made a vague excuse.

The subtle fragrance spreads in my mouth, making me feel a little clearer.

… … However, the aftereffects of drinking too much hard liquor have not completely disappeared.

“Huh!”

“Balthazar? Are you okay?”

“Okay, I’m okay. I just have a little headache… … ”

“Headache?”

Why isn’t there a hangover cure that works in this world? My head keeps throbbing and I can’t stand it.

“If you have a headache, aren’t you overdoing it? Did you get enough rest, Balthazar?”

“Hey, senior. I’m really okay. Don’t worry too much. That’s not why it’s like that.”

“… … ”

Rosalind, who was staring blankly at me with a pale complexion and a headache.

He doesn’t smell like alcohol, so he doesn’t seem to know that he’s suffering from a hangover.

Rather, it seems that he feels burdened and distressed by having to take on the role of the main character in a Phantom work.

And the next moment.

“Is it hard for you, Balthazar?”

“Seo, senior?”

My senior pulled me towards him and made me lie down with his lap as a pillow.

My senior smiles warmly as he watches me blinking my eyes.

She whispered as she smoothed my messy hair.

“Please rest easy and don’t worry about anything, even if it’s just for a little while.”

“Uh, senior? I’m really okay. Why are you doing this for no reason… … ”

“No matter what you try to do, if your mind is filled with anxiety and impatience, you won’t be able to do anything. This time, just listen to me. Okay?”

“… … ”

Now, it’s even difficult to admit that I actually drank too much.

The soft feeling of her thighs through her pleated skirt. Although not as much as the princess, Rosalind’s body was also very nice.

Because of his broad ‘heart’, he can’t even see your face clearly when lying down and looking up.

Moreover, it has a subtle rose scent, so it feels like you are getting aromatherapy and will soon fall asleep.

We’ve become closer recently, but this is the first time we’ve seen such blatant skinship.

“Senior Rosalind? Is it okay to be this nice to a junior? I think the male seniors will be very jealous.”

“Huh. I told you before. Those deadly men, if you want to be jealous, just do it.”

Lullaby. My senior caressing my forehead like he was rocking a newborn baby.

She whispered, her green eyes full of maternal love.

“And you’re not just a junior, you’re my benefactor? I’m still grateful to you, Balthazar.”

… … He is my benefactor.

“By the way, Senior Rosalin. Don’t you want to know the identity of the Phantom? The other students seem very curious.”

She is a woman who considers the Phantom her benefactor and fantasizes about him.

But, considering all that, it was surprising that they weren’t very enthusiastic about tracking people’s identities.

Whenever I talk about Phantom, his eyes seem to turn a little dangerous, so I was worried that he might turn into a yandere someday.

“Of course I’m curious.”

Then, Rosalind burst into laughter and replied.

“But I don’t want to find out by force.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Well, a phantom is just a phantom.”

My senior poked me between the eyebrows with a warm smile. She patted my head and responded kindly.

“As a fan of his, I think that’s enough to know. Because no matter who’s hiding behind the mask, the value of the work he created doesn’t change.”

“… … ”

“Huh, what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing.”

Suddenly, that thought occurred to me.

Woo Hee, who supported Xiang Yu, the King of Western Chu, from behind.

Maybe that’s just the kind of personality she had.

And when the idea got that far… …

“Thank you, senior. Thanks to you, my head has definitely become clearer.”

… … A clear answer has been given as to how the plot of this play should be structured.

The 1994 Hong Kong blockbuster masterpiece, .

Because a work that dramatically depicts the heyday and fall of Xiang Yu, divided into two parts, suddenly came to mind.

A few days later, in front of the Gelorushina Theater.

Today, the crowd that had been flocking to see the revival of after work suddenly stopped.

“Huh? What is that?”

“Is that a painting? But the style is something I’ve never seen before?”

Since the collaboration with the Phantom, the theater’s main entrance has always had only Chaplin’s posters hanging.

The place was taken by a beautiful oriental watercolor painting.

An elf warrior carrying a single sword and riding a pitch-black horse.

It was a war painting with thousands of troops gathering around him.

But that wasn’t the only attraction that caught everyone’s attention.

“Aren’t those elves?”

“You seem to be a member of a circus troupe that noble ladies often visit? What are you doing in front of Gelorusina?”

While the acrobats perform their tricks, musicians play drums and flutes to entertain the audience.

They took up positions at the entrance of the theater, each holding their own musical instrument and wearing the elven costumes typical of the time.

The moment when the onlookers gathered and gathered, finally focusing the attention of the crowd.

“Lower pressure!”

Ding ding ding-!!

“Oh?”

“Wow, what is it? What day is it today?”

A concert where drums are beaten and the geomungo is played.

In front of the cheering crowd at the unexpected spectacle, the elf musicians began to sing a spirited song in unison.

[The spirit stands against the rough waves, and the boiling blood in my heart is hotter than that red sun~♬]

[Iron-like courage, steel-like bones, grand ambitions in the chest, eyes that shine for thousands of miles~♫]

“A Man Should Be Strong” is the theme song of the Hong Kong martial arts film, “Once Upon a Time in the World.”

The Chinese-style song that Phantom had recreated in collaboration with Professor Gabi spread out loudly.

[I will work hard with all my heart to become a strong man~♪]

[A man must always be strong, and a hot-blooded man shines brighter than the sun~♩]

Although it is the theme song of martial arts master Wong Fei-hung, it is a song that would not look out of place even if applied to Xiang Yu of the Chu and Han Dynasties.

The musicians who had finally finished singing continued to play the accompaniment, only changing the melody.

And the next moment.

Shhh! Boom, pop! Boom!

Flames shot up from behind the musicians and exploded in a chain reaction in the air.

“Mom!”

“Oh my god! What is that? It’s so pretty!”

“Wow! Are those fireworks with magic?”

Colorful fireworks light up the dark, sunset sky.

The red dragon and the blue dragon fought each other, twisting their bodies and competing with the brightly burning sun.

Then, after the firecrackers had died down, actors from Gelorushina appeared behind them, performing a magic show with a bang.

“Next weekend! Phantom’s new work, Farewell My Concubine, Part 1, will be performed at Gelorusina!”

An actor dressed in oriental style costume shouted loudly for everyone to hear.

“A special performance produced in two parts in collaboration with the Elf Acrobat Troupe! This play will only be performed for a short period of time! If you miss this opportunity, there will be no next time, so everyone, don’t forget to gather at Gelorusina!”

“Pa, a new work by Phantom author?! Limited time only at Gelorusina?!”

“Gyaaah, next week! Next weekend! What if I tell you now!”

“That’s right! How on earth am I supposed to wait until then!”

Although a performance is originally a product, it can also be cut out and used as a promotional tool.

It was a moment when Phantom’s strategy of actively utilizing modern marketing techniques showed a wonderful effect.

The crowd had already forgotten that they had come to see a Chaplin comedy and were busy stamping their feet at the news of the new release.

Time passes day by day, and finally the weekend that everyone has been eagerly waiting for arrives.

The first half of opened with great fanfare at the Gelorusina Theater in the capital.

“So how do you feel, Balthazar? Living a triple life as a playwright and an actor, and both in secret?”

“It’s noisy. What do you think?”

Maurice teased me with his usual sly tone.

To this, I simply furrow my brow and respond curtly.

The first part of , which depicts the golden age of Xiang Yu in a wuxia novel style.

First of all, the intention behind writing it was understood.

Thanks to this, the rating war that had been raging for a while suddenly came to a lull.

… … Instead, a completely different problem arose.

“Stand still! Eww-!!”

“Get out of the way! This guy is demonstrating lightness, whoa-!!”

The number of would-be suicide bombers who can’t tell the difference between fiction and reality has increased in the academy.

Anyway, you crazy kids.