NOVEL WEB Chapter 3
In medieval times, playwrights generally fell into two categories.
Freelance writers who submitted scripts hoping for profit sharing.
Or the playwrighting side job of veteran actors responsible for running a theater company.
“Let’s say I’m in the former category, but in most cases, it’s the latter.”
The theater companies of the medieval era were smaller and simpler than those of today.
Thus, it was common for popular actors who were in charge of the theater to handle most of the work needed for play creation.
From directing the play to acting, and even writing the rough outline of the script, it wasn’t rare for a single talented individual to manage all three tasks.
I had originally joined the Killgrewber Theater Company, which I submitted the script for [Admiral Lee], under similar circumstances.
“Ooh, you’re here? Our hero of Killgrewber Theater! The eminent author Phantom has arrived like a storm!”
A middle-aged gentleman welcomed me with exaggerated movements.
He was Renoir, the most popular actor at Killgrewber, as well as its director and manager.
In this performance of [Admiral Lee], he was also playing General Yi Sun-sin.
He was the one who had discussed the overall concept of the performance with me for [Admiral Lee].
“I’m so embarrassed I can’t even lift my face. To ignore the advice of such a great writer like you! If I had a mouse hole to hide in, I’d want to escape right now.”
……He was also the one who had sent me a letter suggesting I ‘write it myself if I’m so mad.’
I gently touched my white mask, which I wore for anonymity, and greeted him.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Renoir. I came to talk about [Admiral Lee] we performed last time.”
Phantom was the pen name I had chosen when I submitted my manuscript.
It was taken from the name of the ghost appearing in the musical “The Phantom of the Opera,” based on the novel by French writer Gaston Leroux.
Though it felt a bit cheesy, I thought it was a pretty decent choice considering I was working incognito in the arts.
“Oh, right. About Admiral Lee.”
Renoir made a slightly troubled expression at my words.
He rubbed his temples gently with his index finger and spoke in a distressed tone.
“You see, there have been swarms of academy students piling into the theater entrance, demanding a sequel to Admiral Lee, which doesn’t even exist! I mean, come on!”
“……I’m sorry.”
“No, you have nothing to apologize for! In fact, from our perspective, it’s a boon. When such a noisy commotion occurs, the value of the theater company goes up, you know.”
Is this a form of noise marketing?
It didn’t seem like a good situation to be optimistic about.
If I didn’t produce a sequel to [Admiral Lee], it honestly felt like they might really start a riot.
Moreover, with Crown Prince Wolfgang potentially mobilizing the guards if things escalated, the stakes were high.
Although this middle-aged man had been through a lot and still maintained his composure, the actual danger of the situation was on the verge of escalating like wildfire.
So, I quickly came up with a solution.
“Take this. It’s a newly written script.”
“Oh ho! A new work? What’s the title?”
“It’s the sequel to Admiral Lee that the students have been demanding. The working title is roughly ‘Admiral Lee: The Final Battle.’”
“It’s a, a sequel to Admiral Lee?!”
……Whoa!
“My goodness! There really was a sequel?! Hooorrrk…!!”
Renoir gasped for air, receiving the script as if it were some sacred scripture.
He fumbled with the script as if handling a holy Bible.
After a moment of excitement, he finally regained his composure.
“I’m so, so sorry. I got too excited. Admiral Lee holds quite a special significance for me.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course! A mere play has never caused such a sensation before. I’ve lived my whole life as an actor, but never have I seen a sudden massive success like Admiral Lee.”
“……”
“And the script you wrote is so amazing that, as an actor, I was completely swept away by it—especially the breathtaking narrative Admiral Lee showcases. I never imagined I would witness the birth of a genius in my lifetime; it truly is an honor.”
The birth of a genius, you say? Honestly, that description made me feel quite guilty.
I had just cut a few corners; the content of the script was simply the life of General Yi Sun-sin.
“By the way, the length is shorter than I expected?”
Swish! Renoir flipped through the pages briefly.
It was indeed less than half the length of the previous work.
I shrugged my shoulders casually in response.
“It’s a sequel. I’ll just be briefly depicting the aftermath that couldn’t be covered last time.”
This script tightly covers the development from shortly after the Battle of Myeongnyang to the Battle of Noryang.
It’s understandable that the volume is lacking compared to a script that compresses most of General Yi Sun-sin’s life.
If I started depicting other events during the Imjin War, the content would unnecessarily stretch, and if I filled it with original events, my lack of ability would clearly show.
Renoir seemed slightly disappointed at my response but soon began to concentrate on reading the script.
“Hmmm, hmm! Good, so this is how the story flows? Hehe.”
As he flipped through the pages, the veteran actor’s face lit up with confidence.
He was definitely reading about the general’s incredible feats that he would portray.
However, that face soon twisted in sorrow and despair.
“Admiral, Admiral Lee…! Sniffle…”
Renoir, trembling as he held the script.
Tears welled in his eyes like big drops.
He must have just seen the scene where General Yi Sun-sin perishes in the Battle of Noryang.
I intentionally made it even sadder and more majestic, and it worked fabulously.
What an actor! Is it because it’s someone for whom acting is their profession? Their immersion in their role is no joke!
He looked so mournful, as if he had lost his nation, and I couldn’t help but feel guilty.
Eventually, I cleared my throat, feeling awkward, and cautiously asked for his feedback.
“What do you think of this piece? Do you think it’s good?”
I was worried because the ending was completely different from the previous work.
This world had been particularly slow in developing theatrical scripts.
I wasn’t sure how tolerant the audience would be of a sad ending.
But Renoir’s reaction banished all my worries at once.
“Are you joking? This isn’t just good! This is a masterwork! A grand heroic epic completed by the noble death of Admiral Lee!”
Renoir slammed the script shut and started to rave.
“No, wait! The term masterwork doesn’t even suffice! It’s a masterpiece! It deserves to be recorded in history books! It should be designated as National Treasure No. 1 of the Empire for future generations to admire!”
He was absolutely thrilled.
Seeing Renoir bouncing like a child made me chuckle.
General Yi Sun-sin was a renowned commander who excelled in the distant Eastern land of Joseon.
In fact, this continent, steeped in medieval Western culture, might not resonate well with that story.
So, I adapted the structure of the knight drama (Ritter drama) that circulated in late 18th-century Germany to depict his life.
The German knight drama is a Gothic-style play that revolves around heroism aligned with the spirit of chivalry.
It gained popularity when Goethe, the author of “The Sorrows of Young Werther,” wrote a play about the real-life figure Gotz von Berlichingen.
In Goethe’s play, the German knight Gotz helps the weak, lives honestly and honorably, and dies a hero.
He can be seen as the last true knight who upholds truth and freedom in an age of falsehood and chaos.
And this perfectly matches, perhaps even describes solely, the feats of General Yi Sun-sin.
The life of Gotz is more or less an idealization by Goethe, but the achievements of General Yi Sun-sin are all historical facts.
Loyalty, sincerity, bravery, honor, and nobility.
The virtues shown by General Yi Sun-sin resonate with the ideals of the medieval chivalry.
That’s exactly why I chose him as the protagonist for my script.
The saga of General Yi Sun-sin transcends mere national pride for Korea.
It contains absolute values that apply universally across all cultures.
“Extra, extra!”
“This weekend, a new work will premiere at the Killgrewber Theater!”
“The sequel to Admiral Lee, which has stirred up the capital! The very piece that academy students have protested to see!”
The shouts of newspaper delivery boys announced the latest news in the cultural world.
And the hawkers sticking posters for the play everywhere.
The streets of the capital were buzzing with their voices.
As Renoir predicted, the protests by academy students turned into quite a decent noise marketing campaign.
Even those who weren’t interested in theater or hadn’t cared much about [Admiral Lee].
They all rushed to see it, driven by the rumor that even upper-class students had made a scene.
In just a few days, there were no longer anyone in the capital who hadn’t heard of the fame of the play [Admiral Lee].
Naturally, everyone was full of anticipation and interest about the forthcoming sequel.
“A sequel to Admiral Lee? I’m so excited I can’t even sleep!”
“I hear His Highness the Crown Prince is also counting the days till this weekend?”
“Damn it, overtime! I have to work the weekend when I should be watching Admiral Lee! May this world perish!”
The massive excitement began to escalate from all directions.
Thanks to this, the ones really suffering were the city guards who had to maintain order in the capital.
The audience who couldn’t wait until the weekend gathered in front of the theater, nearly causing a stampede.
There were even ticket scalpers in the back alleys taking advantage of presale tickets.
As the weekend approached, the capital’s streets looked half like a battlefield.
“Catch that fleeing rascal! Scalper!”
“Oh dear! Please, just this once, let me off!”
“Why are these folks causing a ruckus when the premiere is not until the weekend! Can’t you disperse quickly?!”
“Shut up! Don’t insult the pure admiration of the citizens waiting for this masterpiece!”
While various commotions were happening, time continued to flow.
Finally, as the date of performance arrived, the audience who had seen [Admiral Lee] headed to Killgrewber Theater with hopeful hearts.
On that fateful day when all eyes in the capital were gathered in one place.
Bam-!!
Admiral Lee was shot in front of the audience.