Chapter 42: The Demonfather positive effect to kingdom’s economy

Chapter 42: The Demonfather positive effect to kingdom's economy

(Arthur POV)

Two days and a small fortune later, I found myself buried under a mountain of photographs. I'd sent out a small army of photographers to capture every unused arena and theater in the city. Now, surrounded by their work, I was beginning to wonder if I'd bitten off more than I could chew.

Most of the options were... less than ideal, to put it mildly. Some were too small, barely able to fit a decent-sized set, let alone all the equipment we'd need. Others were in such a state of disrepair that renovating them would cost more than building from scratch. A few were architecturally impressive but completely impractical for our needs - all style and no substance, like a pompous noble with an empty head.

I tossed aside another stack of photos with a sigh. This was starting to feel like a wild goose chase.

But then, buried beneath a pile of disappointing prospects, I found it. An arena just on the outskirts of the cheap district, not far from where we were now. It was massive, with sweeping arches and enough space to build a small village inside. The structure was sound, if a bit weathered. It was perfect.

Curious, I dug deeper into its history. Turns out, this place used to be quite famous back in the day. The magazines had covered it extensively - not for its grand battles or spectacular events, but for its... specter residents.

That's right. The place was supposedly haunted.

I couldn't help but laugh. Even demons, creatures of darkness and chaos, were spooked by a few measly ghosts.

But their loss was my gain. Because of its spooky reputation, the arena was going for a mere 200,000 dollars. Compared to the other options, which were selling for upwards of half a million or more, it was a steal.

My mind made up, I gathered the crew to share the news. "Ladies, gentlemen, and assorted creatures of the night," I announced, holding up the photo of our soon-to-be studio space, "I give you the newest addition to Hellfire Studios!"

The reactions were... mixed, to say the least. There was excitement, sure, but also more than a few nervous glances and muttered concerns about restless spirits.

I waved off their worries. "Ghosts, demons, what's the difference? We're making movie here. A few spooks will just add to the ambiance."

And so, with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, we set off to claim our new domain.

Standing before the arena, I had to admit, the place had a certain gloomy charm. A chill ran down my spine as we approached, but I shrugged it off with a grin. "Look on the bright side," I quipped to no one in particular, "free air conditioning."

As we stepped inside, the sheer scale of the place took our breath away. Massive stone arches soared overhead, and the arena floor stretched out before us like a blank canvas, just waiting for our creative touch.

Lately, my work has been particularly challenging. Our kingdom's economy has been in decline, and tourism numbers have been dropping faster than a stone imp in a flying contest. It's been one headache after another.

So when Lord Vermilion, my chief economic advisor, burst into my study with an unusually chipper expression, I was immediately suspicious.

"Your Highness," he said, practically bouncing on his toes, "I have some rather surprising news."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Don't keep me in suspense, Vermilion."

He cleared his throat, clearly relishing the moment. "We've seen a rare increase in both tourism and economic investment in the kingdom. It seems we have some new... admirers."

Now he had my full attention. "Admirers? What do you mean?"

Lady Crimson, my head of tourism development, stepped forward. "It appears to be related to a film, Your Highness. 'The Demonfather,' I believe it's called."

I frowned. Between my studies and my duties, I'd been rather out of the loop. "The Demonfather?" I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.

Lord Azura, one of my younger advisors, couldn't contain himself. "You haven't heard of it, Your Highness? It's a masterpiece! The best film I've ever—" He caught himself, shrinking back. "Apologies, I got carried away. I'm... somewhat of a fan."

His enthusiasm piqued my curiosity. "No need to apologize, Azura. Tell me more about this film. What's it about?"

Lady Crimson cleared her throat. "Perhaps more pertinently, Your Highness, you might be interested to know who made it."

I turned to her, intrigued. "Oh? Is it someone I know?"

"In a manner of speaking," she said carefully. "It was made by your brother."

My mind immediately went to Bobby and his endless self-aggrandizing projects. "Bobby's made a good film? That's... unexpected."

"Not Bobby, Your Highness," Lord Vermilion corrected gently. "It was made by the exiled prince. Arthur."

"Arthur?!" I couldn't keep the shock from my voice. My little brother, the one we'd all written off as a failure, had made a film? And not just any film, but one successful enough to impact our kingdom's economy?