“Is this roughly what the function should be?”
“Yes. I would like a special seating mechanism made with mechanical devices. It should be remotely controlled to move around according to the signals given.”
Right after agreeing to the contract with Vanderbeune, I headed to a remote workshop to carry out stage two of my preparations.
This race is known for its skill in handling intricate devices like springs and gears.
They’re also notorious for being greedy and cunning—those goblin engineers.
“Huhuhu, this is truly a demanding request. There are quite a few complex technical aspects, you know.”
The goblin artisan, grinning while stroking his old goggles, exclaimed.
His green, hooked nose, a defining trait of his race, wrinkled as he spoke. “But don’t worry. Just because it’s tricky doesn’t mean we can’t do it. Goblins are number one in this field!”
The Holy Empire is ruled by the House of Clausewitz, a realm of humans.
But that doesn’t mean various other races don’t live here.
In reality, it’s quite similar to attracting foreign businesses.
Elves, dwarves, goblins, gnomes, and more have mixed into human society, forging strong connections.
The goblin engineer I’m dealing with now is just one of them.
“It’s alright. I’ll pay whatever it costs, just please deliver the best quality.”
“Aha! I understand completely, dear guest. Our workshop is very conscientious, so there’s no need to worry, huhuhu.”
The goblin artisan bowed his head immediately upon seeing the imperial seal ring, behaving submissively.
Despite their reputation for being materialistic, even goblins wouldn’t dare cheat the royal family while trading on human lands.
“May I ask why you need this series of devices? We often receive requests to check stage facilities, but a peculiar order like this is rare.”
“Well, there’s a reason for everything. Let’s just say it’s for a more immersive experience.”
What I envisioned to express Lovecraftian horror was a ‘4DX’ motion chair I had experienced in my previous life at a cinema.
Of course, what I commissioned wasn’t exactly that but a simplified ‘minor copy’ tailored to Vanderbeune’s tent size.
I asked for a reinterpretation of modern items with magic applied, created in the fantasy world’s unique style.
The traveling theater troupe could easily disassemble and reassemble a few large wagons to transport it around.
Certainly, it couldn’t be 100% identical to the sophisticated devices of modern civilization, but as long as it produced a similar effect, I’d be super satisfied.
“Isn’t it exciting to go beyond merely watching a play to actually ‘experience’ the story with all senses? If a wave hits in the play, the audience seating sways along; if there’s an earthquake, the audience shakes too. And if machines spray water and wind at intervals, even better!”
“Oh ho?”
“The key experience of this new project I’m planning is precisely that. I want the audience to feel as though they’re directly part of the play’s situations.”
“Huhuhu, understood. We’ll work tirelessly to complete it quickly.”
The artisan returned to the workshop with a satisfied grin.
As I watched his departing figure, the very ‘special’ magical option I requested during the commissioning process came to mind.
Fortunately, it was harmless to the body but helped the audience have a vivid cosmic horror experience.
“If they can add that too, it’ll be a hit.”
But on the other hand, I wondered if it was a bit excessive. After all, too much fear could become toxic, even in horror tales.
‘…Well, I’ll just wait for the outcome first.’
The decision on whether to use that magical option could wait until then.
—
“Extra! Extra! Phantom, the hero candidate, announces a new work!”
“This time, in collaboration with the traveling theater company Vanderbeune, they will perform a puppet show! Extra!”
Boys and girls scattered around the empire, distributing newspapers and promotional flyers.
Wearing newsboy caps, they dashed around, sharing the news with passing adults.
And the curious adults receiving the news from children couldn’t help but widen their eyes in surprise.
“A new work by playwright Phantom? This time with the traveling company Vanderbeune?”
“Haha, good! It’s about time for a new release!”
“But that’s strange. He’s challenging himself with a puppet show, which is different from his usual style?”
After the completion of [The Hegemon-King Li's Consort], citizens eagerly awaited the next work.
Phantom’s new project announcement was like a refreshing oasis in a parched desert.
However, after reading the text on the promotional flyer, most people could only wear puzzled expressions.
“Terrifying and disgusting images frequently appear? Caution for the elderly and pregnant women? Not recommended for those with heart conditions?”
“Vanderbeune theater company takes no responsibility for any harm that arises from ignoring these warnings—how scary can it really be?”
Only then did people notice the oddly shaped book drawn on the promotional poster.
And beneath it, an eerie title written in a creepy font: [Cthulhu Mythos].
“Cthulhu Mythos? Is this another work featuring ancient polytheism like the dialogues?”
“But why just a single book with no other illustrations? It’s definitely a rather unsettling design.”
“Oh ho? Is Phantom collaborating with the famous Vanderbeune? Isn’t this stretching it too far now!”
The Vanderbeune theater company, already known for its grotesque shows, now adding Phantom’s script as well?
People, especially horror enthusiasts, couldn’t help but feel their expectations soar.
“A horror play! It must be a story about werewolves!”
“No! It’s definitely going to be about vampires!”
“That’s absurd! What Phantom wants to depict is definitely a ghost! What can be more chilling than a ghost!”
Predictions about the material continued to pour in.
Without any additional explanation, wild assumptions flooded in like a tidal wave.
As everyone engaged in heated discussions, the release date of [Cthulhu Mythos], coinciding with the Crown Prince’s birthday, slowly approached.
—
Time passed, and finally, the bright day of the performance arrived.
Before Vanderbeune’s tent, a crowd gathered to watch [Cthulhu Mythos].
However, on this joyful day, the most excited individual was elsewhere.
Dadam-dadam-!!
“Your Highness, are you sure you’re okay? His Majesty is quite worried.”
A dazzling imperial carriage crossed the street, inside was a large man asking with concern.
“How many times must I say I’m fine, Bernhard! Do you still think of me as a little kid?”
Conversely, the dark-haired boy seated across from him retorted with an annoyed expression.
“Today is my birthday! Now that it’s passed, I’m 13 years old! Before long, I’ll be able to marry!”
“…Legally, that’s correct, but isn’t that child marriage from the time of the Late Emperor? The current marriage age is much higher.”
“Anyway! The point is to stop treating me like a kid! I’ve grown enough!”
Puffing out his cheeks, Crown Prince Wolfgang crossed his arms.
Everyone around him knew him the same way. His father, sister, and subordinates all fussed over him, treating him like a child who couldn’t fend for himself.
Sure, their concern was appreciated, but it felt pretty stifling for a boy maturing into independence.
“Your Highness. There’s nothing wrong with having an interest in horror.”
Bernhard sighed, recalling the piles of books in the prince’s study.
“But a horror play, especially one that playwright Phantom personally created, is a different case. Look at this warning. Why would they include such a notice in advance?”
“Tsk, tsk. Bernhard. That’s a perspective only a novice like you might have.”
Wolfgang smirked, brushing off his aide’s concern.
Like many boys in their early teens, the Crown Prince had a strong sense of ego.
He had a ‘pride’ about the areas he liked and was knowledgeable in.
His pride concerning horror was sky-high at the moment.
“But for a horror aficionado like me, the scarier, the better. I’m more worried that the results might be dull compared to Phantom’s previous masterpieces.”
“Huh.”
“Instead of worrying about me, you should focus on yourself, Bernhard. What kind of embarrassment would it be for a grown adult to cry? If it gets too scary, I might lend you a handkerchief, wahaha!”
The Crown Prince, now fully puffed up with pride, flaunted himself.
He firmly believed there wasn’t an adversary that could bring him down, even enjoying Vanderbeune’s eerie grotesque shows unapologetically.
…However, the newly turned 13-year-old boy was unaware.
Of what exactly he would face inside the theater.
—
About 30 minutes later, after all the audience had taken their seats.
Swoosh-!!
Suddenly, a pale mist began wafting from the center of the tent.
Seeing the dense fog surrounding the stage, the audience erupted in chuckles.
“Ooh, is it starting finally?”
“The atmosphere is nice, it seems they’re proceeding in a kind of ghost story style.”
“But what’s up with these seats? They’re nothing like regular theater chairs?”
“True? They seem made of solid metal, and I’ve never seen such safety belts before?”
The safety straps that had to be tightly secured upon sitting, without a performer’s help, could not be released until the puppet show concluded.
This was also one of the special audience seat options added by Phantom when creating [Cthulhu Mythos].
It was meant to prevent an accident where panicking viewers might rush out and get trampled.
From the outset, regardless of status, the requirement to wear safety belts was strictly communicated from the time tickets were purchased.
Naturally, refusing to wear the safety belt meant missing the premiere of [Cthulhu Mythos].
At the very least, if a milder version was released based on the premiere response, it might have a chance.
THUD THUD…
At that moment, someone emerged from beyond the mist on stage.
It was a man dressed in attire similar to a gentleman’s suit, yet decidedly eerie in design.
[Welcome to Vanderbeune Theater, dear gentlemen and ladies.]
“What? A human actor has appeared?”
“Looks pretty scary, doesn’t it? Is he some kind of narrator explaining the puppet show?”
With a pale complexion, elongated chin, and a face as gaunt as a skeleton, he resembled the original author, Howard Lovecraft, albeit in a somewhat chilling costume.
He came out with a slow, heavy gait, greeting everyone.
[My name is Howard Phillips Lovecraft. I am your guide to the dreamlike world today.]
“But what’s that book in his arm? Is it that very book drawn on the promotional flyer?”
[Aha, curious about the identity of this book? Well, I can reveal it to you.]
Murmurs erupted from the audience, a buzz of bewilderment filled the air.
In response, the actor ‘Lovecraft’ lifted the prop book and began to speak.
[But be cautious. What’s written here is a forbidden record of ancient beings from beyond. Once you know it, a terrible curse will forever haunt you and you can never return.]
“Hahaha, is he trying to scare us now?”
“Ancient beings from beyond? I can’t quite grasp what that means.”
“Come on, it’ll probably just be another vampire or ghost story. I could yawn through it.”
“Yawn? This guy might just doze off! If anyone’s courageous, it has to be yours truly! Hahaha.”
[Now, let me share with you the fragments of an ancient entity. Written by the evil sorcerer Alhazred, who went insane after encountering ancient beings in the Middle East.]
The audience casually brushed off Lovecraft’s warning as merely a bit of fun.
Then, with a cruel chuckle, Lovecraft opened the first page of the book.
[…The tale of the Great Old Ones, recorded in the worst grimoire of all time, the Necronomicon.]
As he finished his words, the actor sat in the center of the stage, pretending to read aloud.
The concept for Phantom’s [Cthulhu Mythos] was precisely that: a storytelling showcase with the author Lovecraft ‘personally’ narrating.
As Lovecraft went through his narratives, the stage’s backdrop changed gradually.
Each time the backdrop changed, the content of the story was vividly represented in the form of a grotesque puppet show.
The unique composition he chose, unlike his usual work, was simple.
Despite enduring unhappiness throughout his life, Lovecraft’s passion for cosmic horror never waned.
To him, [Cthulhu Mythos] was not merely a work; it was his very life.
Throughout his existence, [Cthulhu Mythos] was Lovecraft, and Lovecraft was [Cthulhu Mythos].
[…The first story begins with our protagonist, Robert Olmstead, whose foolish curiosity leads him to his mother’s hometown, Arkham.]
Swoosh…
The moment the actor began, thick mist enveloped the surroundings completely.
Even Lovecraft, seated in the center of the stage, became invisible.
Then, as the fog gradually lifted, a decrepit fishing village set for the grand puppet show emerged.
An appetizer selected to immerse the audience into the cosmic horror of [Cthulhu Mythos].
It would first introduce a slight chill as an appetizer through a short play titled [The Shadow over Innsmouth].
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