Chapter 265: Soft Power (2)

Chapter 265: Soft Power (2)

The highlight of the exhibition, the performance, will start precisely at 8 p.m. The previous exhibition only had a makeshift stage and was held outdoors, but now proper buildings were neatly erected.

Thanks to the extensive support from the Minerva Empire the scale was quite large. According to what I heard from my father, it can accommodate up to about ten thousand people.

I wondered if I would be able to properly see the performance, but considering some of the performances Ive seen in my past life, its not entirely impossible. I even heard that they provide binoculars for those with poor eyesight or for those seated in the back rows if they want them.

Even in my past life, binoculars were quite expensive, so how were they here where scientific technology is less developed? Fortunately, lenses, including glasses, have been developed and can exist, but if not, it would have been a headache.

But theres no avoiding the fact that they are terribly expensive. Even with lenses, they have to be made by hand without the help of machines, so the price of portable binoculars is so high that it makes you tremble.

The Minerva Empire is giving away those binoculars for free. Its typical of a country overflowing with money, or rather, one that compensates for everything with money.

Of course, since theyre expensive, theyve placed one at each seat and secured them with magic to prevent casual theft. By the way, they received assistance from demons for the magic.

They said if anyone tries to extract or take away the binoculars secretly, an alarm will sound, so theres no need to worry about theft.

All thats left is for many people to watch the performances prepared. They explained that commoners can watch the performance on the first floor, while nobles can enjoy it from the second floor.

My family, friends, and I will be seated in the front row of the suitable second floor. The rest of the VIPs will find their own seats.

How impressive will it be?

Cecily was so confident, I wonder just how amazing the performance will be. Since its a collaboration between the Matrics Troupe and the Rirus Orchestra, as with the previous exhibition, expectations were high.

Moreover, the more I listen to her explanations, the more memories from my past life surfaced. It was one of humanitys most popular cultures across the world.

If special effects including explosions are handled by magic, and even recording is replaced by magic, then nothing seems impossible to produce. Especially considering there are numerous instances where performances rival movies, even within the confined environment of a stage, like with the Matrics Troupe.

However, it should never be compared to my previous life. In my past life, decades of accumulated expertise enabled the creation of various masterpieces and this was their first attempt with Heliums comprehensive support.

Comparing the cultural zenith of Earth to the culture of this world, which has only just begun to bloom, would be truly a cruel act.

So lets watch the performance with an appreciative mindset. Guiding Cecily and Arwen was the priority for now.

Well, Ill look forward to the performance tonight.

It will probably be a performance you wont forget for a lifetime.

It was 6 p.m., and the sun was gradually disappearing beyond the horizon. Arwen left to handle dinner arrangements.

I suggested having dinner together at the mansion, but she politely declined, shaking her head. She insisted that if she went, it would definitely create an awkward situation.

I wanted to ask if there would be any awkwardness since we were already acquainted and even banished the Elders, but Arwens attitude was so stubborn that I had no choice but to withdraw.

As I made my way to the mansion to arrange dinner, I unexpectedly encountered familiar faces.

Isaac!

Huh?

My siblings, Dave and Nicole, dressed neatly in Navy Knight uniforms, had arrived. It seemed like they were on vacation.

As soon as I saw them, I approached with a bright smile. Both of them not only had good looks but also had well-built bodies, clearly benefiting from their military training.

When did you arrive?

We got here about 2 hours ago. Have you been well? Our youngest has grown so much since I last saw you.

Dave ruffled my hair with a cool smile, as if impressed, as he often did. The last time I met him was at the previous exhibition.

Considering how much Ive grown in the past year, it must have been quite a surprise for Dave. I smiled brightly, basking in the affectionate touch of my older brother.

Although Lily is in the picture now, Ive always received unconditional love from my older siblings.

Dave, having often treated me like a kid just like Nicole, has fostered a strong bond between us as siblings.

Lets skip over the dynamics between Dave and Nicole. Theyre just typical siblings.

Ive been good, thanks. And its Lily whos the youngest, not me.

Oh, right. My mistake.

Both of you came?

Yeah. Its only been a year, but so much has changed. I momentarily questioned if this was our territory.

I shared the stories between siblings that we missed out on. Nicole looked healthy, her once injured arm now fully healed.

Especially as Nicole and I conversed, she kept glancing behind intermittently. It seemed she was locking eyes with Adelia.

Following her gaze, I noticed Adelia brightly smiling back, clearly expressing her joy at reuniting with her close friend.

When it comes down to it, Nicole must be a precious treasure to Adelia. She brought light into her lonely life and even led her to a loving partner.

However, Isaac. What kind of gift did you receive from the demons Ugh!!

*****

After the peaceful and harmonious dinner ended, we headed straight to the theater where a magnificent stage awaited us.

Originally, the plan was for the whole family to go together, but my father had to stay behind due to remaining paperwork, and my mother insisted on staying to watch over Lily.

Although I was disappointed that we couldnt all go together to the performance, which only happens once a year, Cecilys words helped me to feel relieved for a moment.

Dont worry. The performance isnt just for today; its scheduled to run for several days.

Several days?

Yeah. The motto of the Xenon Exhibition is a culture that everyone can enjoy. But it wouldnt be right if some people couldnt enjoy it.

It seemed like it was recorded on video, so they could show it anytime. I thanked her and headed to the theater with a much lighter heart.

Unlike the hastily constructed outdoor setup from a year ago, the theater was now a meticulously built structure, reflecting the Minerva Empires determination not to be outdone by the Ters Kingdom.

How many craftsmen poured their sweat into building this structure? Its hard to even imagine, just seeing its majestic and unmatched appearance.

It definitely feels like the Minerva Empire spared no expense on this. One cant help but wonder how advanced their culture must be to erect such a building.

Chatterchatter

As I stepped inside the building, the buzz of people was already audible. Though there were separate paths for nobles, the sheer number of people made the noise audible even here.

The auditorium can accommodate around ten thousand people. However, its known that the number of attendees at the exhibition far exceeded that.

Even the inns built for this occasion were reportedly overflowing, causing headaches. Its inevitable since there are overwhelmingly more commoners reading Xenons Biography than nobles.

Still, if Cecilys word holds, there shouldnt be any problem in hosting performances for multiple days. The performances are indeed the highlight and the alpha and omega of the Xenon exhibition.

In essence, the exhibition lasts for several days. Condensing it into a single day would be quite tight on time.

In a world where teleportation isnt utilized, it could take days or even over a month to travel across countries.

In that sense, extending the exhibition for several days means providing opportunities to many people, which might not be a bad thing.

Father must have worked hard.

Thinking about the expanding scale of the exhibition, I searched for a seat. The enclosed building was brightly lit, probably by magic.

Thanks to that, it wasnt difficult to find a seat, and as soon as I arrived, I could see familiar faces.

Theyve arrived early.

The nobles of the Minerva Empire and the royal family of the Ters Kingdom. Like me, they were seated in the front row of the second floor, chatting amongst themselves.

Among them, I locked eyes with Leort, exchanging a brief nod before he returned to their own conversations.

Are those binoculars?

Yeah. Give them a try.

While we were playing with the binoculars arranged at each seat, time passed quickly.

The performance seemed about to begin, as the light illuminating the interior of the building gradually dimmed, enveloping us in darkness.

As the darkness settled, the murmurs of the crowd grew louder.

Come to think of it, they didnt light any candles, how are they illuminating the building?

Could this too be magic? I couldnt fathom how much budget had been allocated for just one building.

Eventually, the audience, sensing the beginning of the performance, began to quiet down little by little until complete silence fell.

[Just once]

Suddenly, the voice of a dignified middle-aged man filled the building.

[If only I could see her smile just once]

Boom!

An image filled the front view, no, it wasnt just an image.

[Elisha]

The movie began to play.

Translators note:

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