Chapter 91: Prince of Pleasure
Chapter 91: Prince of Pleasure
"Forget it, I'm not really into stage plays", Kuro said slowly, exhaling a perfect smoke ring.
Siva's smile remained unchanged. "Then I suppose the Navy officers will just have to return to rest, because soon, everything here will come to a stop."
His words seemed to act as a command. Suddenly, every person on the street began walking toward the castle, and all the attractions in Funland gradually halted their operations.
The staff dressed as Harlequins abandoned their performances, vendors closed their stalls, and everyone wore joyous smiles as they marched toward the castle.
As if some sacred ceremony awaited them all at the castle.
Siva stepped forward, then suddenly turned to bow at Kuro's group. The meaning was clear — he wanted them to watch.
Kuro glanced around. "Well, might as well go see. With this many people excited, there must be something to it."
"A wise choice", Siva grinned. "The stage play is Morgant's specialty. You simply must see it — it'll leave a lasting impression."
Led by Siva, Kuro's group proceeded toward the castle.
The grand performance seemed to be happening right at the castle gates.
By the time they arrived, a sea of people had already gathered.
"Ah, I'm so excited! The Prince of Pleasure's stage play!"
"I was lucky enough to watch it last year. What an unforgettable experience! The Prince of Pleasure truly is a hero!"
"Aaaaahh! Prince-sama!"
The enthusiastic whispers of the foreigners sparked a flicker of curiosity in Klah.
Is it really that amazing?
Suddenly, the lights of Funland dimmed.
From within the towering castle, a large number of soldiers emerged, lining the castle gates with rifles at the ready.
Among them stood someone Kuro recognized — Kai Shao, the familiar face from Commercial Street, standing guard as if fearing the fanatical crowd might rush the gates.
A brilliant light suddenly erupted from the castle, engulfing Funland and becoming the sole center of attention in this vast area.
A wide stage slowly descended from the castle rooftop, halting midair as the curtains on both sides began drawing open.
Instantly, the previously noisy crowd fell into silence.
So it's starting?
"Long, long ago..."
Within the curtain, a massive projection screen displayed a narrator's voice as paper-cut figures appeared.
"Shadow puppetry? Or some kind of animated play?"
Kuro felt momentarily surprised — he'd expected live actors.
"Morgant Kingdom was once a very poor kingdom."
The projection showed paper-cut versions of Morgant's past — no grand castle yet, just a rundown town. Simple figures with bitter expressions included one wearing a crown and several dressed in noble attire.
The ruling class of Morgant.
"With no defense forces, they were frequently attacked by pirates."
Figures in pirate outfits wielding knives appeared. The king and nobles' faces turned panic-stricken as they fled.
The pirates claimed treasures and triumphantly returned.
"The king and nobles suffered terribly, and the nation grew increasingly impoverished."
The town's colors dimmed slightly, though otherwise unchanged. The settlement remained a settlement, with full rice ears still surrounding it.
"The people fell into despair..."
The king and nobles reappeared, their paper faces now bitter.
"Then a man's birth changed everything!"
The paper-cut king and queen raised their hands as a glowing infant appeared among them.
"The birth of Prince of Pleasure-sama!"
The baby's arrival brought smiles to the king and nobles' faces. The town's colors darkened slightly.
"From childhood, the Prince of Pleasure-sama radiated an extraordinary charm. Everyone adored him. As he grew, the king and nobles discovered his astonishing potential. All hope for the kingdom rested on the Prince of Pleasure-sama."
The figure on the projection gradually aged into a teenager.
"The teenage Prince of Pleasure-sama deeply felt the kingdom's hardships and vowed to transform it. But with pirate threats surrounding us, the Prince must first eliminate the pirates to open up our world."
Kuro crossed his arms, biting the cigar in his mouth.
They didn't even mention the Navy at all.
"However, the pirates gave the Prince no time to prepare. One day, pirates from nearby islands invaded!"
"Kill them!!!"
Voices, not narration.
The projection remained, but suddenly, pirates wearing headbands appeared on stage. Their leader wore a tricorn hat with a fierce expression.
"They really have real pirates acting? Though their acting skills seem shaky — looks like they're panicking", Lida scoffed, unimpressed by the play.
Indeed, the pirates on stage looked visibly nervous facing the massive crowd.
"They're not real pirates, just performing for us", Kuro remarked.
Klah glanced at the sky stage, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, and whispered to Kuro, "Something feels off. Those pirates are real."
"Eh?"
Kuro stiffened. "Real?!"
Klah nodded. "Back when I was a pirate, I encountered them. That captain is Macready, captain of the Strawberry Pirates, wanted with a bounty of 2.7 million."
"Real pirates?!"
Kuro looked at the pirates on stage, now even more visibly panicking, then shrugged.
"The kingdom must've captured them and decided to use them for the play. No big deal. Though that so-called prince has guts using real pirates in a performance."
The narrator continued.
"The pirates burned and looted the island, leaving people in chaos. But then, our Prince of Pleasure-sama bravely stepped forward!"
The narrator's voice rose.
On the stage's opposite side, lights flickered as spotlights focused on a single figure.
The audience held their breath, eyes shining with excitement.
Under the lights, a figure slowly emerged.
He wore a purple nobleman's coat, with a dress sword at his waist. A mask covered his eyes, arms crossed, posture straight.
"Prince of Pleasure-sama!!!"
A girl shrieked with delight.
Instantly, the crowd erupted, surging forward as if trying to break past the guards and into the castle.
The Prince of Pleasure on the sky stage looked down and sharply raised his hand. "Silence!"
The crowd immediately calmed.
The Prince turned to the pirates, drawing his sword. "You pirates dare violate my kingdom, trample my homeland! I, your Prince of Pleasure, shall stop you and restore my kingdom to its former state!"
His accent sounded slightly odd.
"That's the Prince of Pleasure?"
Kuro grimaced.
How to put it...
There was nothing more to say.
Kuro felt utterly indifferent.
Lida pulled a lollipop from her bag, expressionlessly licking it.
Klah adjusted his glasses, watching calmly.
The rest of the Navy looked equally bewildered — none could grasp why this man had any popularity.
(Sorry for the short chapter today. One update as usual — I'll make up for it when possible.)
(Apologies for any inconvenience.)
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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