Lord of Entertainment

(3rd Person POV)

After wrapping the emotionally charged scene, Arthur finally gave the signal the crew had been waiting for all day.

"That's a wrap for tonight," he announced. "Good work, everyone."

A wave of cheers and relief followed.

Some crew members stretched, groaning with satisfaction.

"Finally! I can actually relax and just watch the ocean tonight."

"We've earned this break—I'm heading straight to bed."

"I'm gonna sit on the deck and watch the fish glimmer under the moonlight."

Everyone had their own idea of unwinding, but the mood was the same—pure joy at the chance to breathe.

Extras who had been confined to their rooms during the filming were now free to roam the ship, step onto the open deck, and enjoy the voyage like true passengers.

Earlier that day, they had played their roles—pretending to be carefree passengers on a grand cruise. But now, with the cameras off and their characters left behind, they simply wanted to enjoy the ship as themselves, to experience the voyage for real.

Genuine sailors and uniformed waiters, part of the ship's staff, moved through the decks with practiced grace, serving actors, extras, and Hellfire crew alike. Plates of steaming food, elegant drinks, and desserts rolled out like an actual luxury cruise.

"Hehe, Hellfire's budget must be endless," one extra laughed between bites.

"Well, if your movies make hundreds of millions in just a few weeks, yeah—you'd be swimming in gold," another replied.

Though night had fallen, the ship didn't quiet down. It pulsed with a different kind of life now—softer, freer.

Firfel watched it all with a faint smile. She strolled slowly toward the bow of the ship, not as Rose, but as herself. Just Firfel.

The sea stretched out endlessly before her, dark and glittering. The moon hung above it, full and luminous, casting silver across the waves. Stars twinkled around it like scattered jewels. The night sky looked like a grand velvet curtain, ready to be drawn back for the sun's entrance come dawn.

A warm hand gently touched her shoulder.

She didn't need to turn to know who it was.

"The sea," Arthur said softly behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, "with the stars like this… it's beautiful, isn't it?"

Firfel turned her head slightly, a smile playing on her lips. "Yeah," she said simply. "It really is."

She didn't pull away. After all, they weren't just playing characters anymore.

They were together—on and off the set.

Firfel snuggled closer, then her eyes caught sight of Ms. Fisher—the woman cast to play Rose's mother. "That woman... her name's the same as my mother's."

Arthur followed her gaze and nodded. "Delaney. Yeah... same name as the Queen of the Rose Kingdom."

Firfel exhaled softly. "That's why it wasn't hard to connect. When I look at her, I can imagine she's my real mother. It helps me understand Rose... helps me feel her pain."

Arthur was quiet for a moment before asking gently, "Was your mother... controlling too?"

Firfel didn't answer right away. Then she gave a small nod. "Yes." Her voice lowered. "I still remember my older sister leaving home because of it. I haven't seen her since."

Her tone turned distant, eyes reflecting the moonlit sea. "That's why I left the Rose Kingdom. I ran. I came to Morningstar a few years ago, just to be an actress."

Arthur listened, silently.

"I knew my mother had no sway in the demon realm—especially not in Morningstar. So it felt safe. But... living alone, trying to make a name for myself in a foreign land..." She gave a dry laugh. "It wasn't easy. I survived thanks to my magic and a few self-defense skills. No one dared mess with me. Still, it was tough."

She paused. Then added quietly, "I thought it would always be that way... until I met you."

Arthur's eyes softened.

"Reading your script, joining your project—it was the best decision I ever made," Firfel said. "You changed my life... for the better."

Just as they basked in the stillness of the moment, Apollonia approached from afar—only to be gently stopped by Vivienne. "They're having a moment," she whispered. "Let's not interrupt."

Apollonia nodded, reluctantly but understandingly.

In the shadows, Sylwen watched them too, hidden from sight. Her expression was unreadable. Though she was loyal to Arthur, something twisted in her chest at the sight of him holding her sister.

She turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Arthur, of course, had already sensed her.

He brushed a strand of Firfel's hair behind her ear, his thoughts quiet but firm: 'She doesn't know her long-lost sister, Sylwen, is now under my command. I'll reveal the truth when the time is right... but not yet. Sylwen's not ready to face her. And maybe... neither is Firfel.'

Arthur held Firfel close, the two of them quietly enjoying the sea breeze and moonlight. Their fingers intertwined as they walked along the deck, the world around them fading into background noise. They eventually made their way to the bow of the ship.

Firfel smiled, then mimicked the scene from earlier that day. She spread her arms and shouted playfully into the night,

"I am the Queen of the world!"

Arthur chuckled behind her, his laughter soft and full of affection.

A few nearby crew and extras glanced their way, smiling at the sweet moment. At a distance, Rika watched them while chewing on a piece of steak, envy flashing in her eyes.

'Why do elves have to be so beautiful?' she thought bitterly, stabbing at her food.

---

The next morning, golden sunlight peeked over the horizon, casting its warm light across the Titanic's polished decks. The ship stirred to life.

Hellfire crew members who had turned in early the night before were now back on their feet, preparing for another round of filming. Meanwhile, the ship's real crew—many of whom also served as background extras—balanced their duties between operating the ship and acting for the cameras.

At the same time, across various cities in the U.S.E., newspapers began hitting the stands. One headline in bold caught readers' eyes:

"Hellfire Breaks Boundaries Again with Revolutionary Illusion Effects!"

On the front page was a grainy photo of the green curtain setup, side by side with a follow-up image of the illusionary transformation—buildings and landscapes altered entirely by the magic-bound Green Screen.

On morning television, news anchors played the footage repeatedly: the green walls glowing, then shifting into seamless backdrops. Viewers at home were stunned.

In studio offices both small and large, production heads leaned forward in interest.

"A fabric that changes the entire set around it?" muttered one bald studio head, rubbing the top of his head with intrigue.

Another studio owner in Angels City furrowed his brows as he watched the news replay. "What is Hellfire doing this time?" he muttered. "First, they introduced those massive VFX studios that could manipulate backdrops through computers—insanely expensive to build and maintain… and now this? What is that green curtain thing, anyway?"

Across the industry, many studio heads were beginning to think the same thing:

Hellfire might be setting a new standard—again.

Some began to wonder: Was that green curtain the reason Hellfire had moved filming outside the VFX Studio? Could it truly replicate the same visual effects—only at a fraction of the cost?

If that were true, then Hellfire had done it again—revolutionized the industry.

And if this green curtain magic could truly simulate immersive environments on real-world sets, then studios everywhere might follow suit—ditching expensive post-production scenes and choosing real-life locations enhanced by illusion instead.

It could save them millions.