I Pioneered Scientific Magic - Chapter 586 (Patreon)

Chapter 586: The Magical Movie's Grand Premiere and the Excitement of the Kingdom's Citizens

The 3D-style projection technology of the magic version astonished the kingdom’s citizens experiencing it for the first time. They felt as if they were part of the story, witnessing events unfold before their eyes, creating a fully immersive experience!

This historical first movie of the magical kingdom, although simple in plot, tells the tale of an empire's lowly peasant.

The protagonist, Dave, was born in a common serf family within a baron’s domain. The story begins with his family's daily struggles—laborious work, excessive taxes, exploitation by the tax collectors, and local bullies’ torment…

The audience, having experienced similar hardships, watched with clenched fists and righteous anger.

One trouble after another seemed relentless, but Dave endured them all, supported by his impoverished yet warm family.

Despite his mother’s early death, Dave's father was his rock, seemingly with endless strength and the best wheat-growing skills in the town!

Dave also had a fiancée, not particularly beautiful, but certainly a bright spot in their small town.

Their difficult but peaceful life didn’t last long, as the story took a turn when Dave’s mountain-like father fell ill with malaria. The church’s bishop, who preached God’s love daily, coldly watched from the sidelines because Dave couldn't afford the fifteen silver coins for treatment.

Then, another tragedy struck when the local lord's son, enticed by his followers, assaulted Dave’s fiancée.

At the height of narrative tension, Dave, in a fit of rage, sneaked into the temporary residence of the assailants under cover of night, killed the baron’s son who had wronged his fiancée, and fled with her from Nordland…

“Well done! That's exactly what they deserve, killing those damned nobles!” a sturdy worker shouted excitedly.

“Don’t forget that bishop and the tax collector, we can't let them off!” another rough-looking laborer yelled angrily, fists in the air.

The rest of the citizens were equally stirred, all clamoring for the nobles, priests, and bullies who oppressed Dave to pay a bloody price!

Tirall felt increasingly uneasy amidst the tens of thousands of cursing voices, sweat trickling down his back.

Years ago, no commoner would dare openly speak of judging a noble or clergyman, but times had clearly changed.

The kingdom was no longer dominated by nobility and the church...

Dave's outburst, after enduring half an hour of oppression, allowed everyone to vent their frustrations, followed by inevitable concerns about the severe penalties for a commoner killing a noble in the empire.

As expected, the furious baron sent a large guard to capture the fleeing Dave.

Despite dodging several rounds of searches thanks to his cleverness and determination, his fiancée, already frail from the assault, couldn’t endure the rigorous days of escape, even needing to sleep with one eye open.

During a heavy rain, the couple soon faced a heartbreaking farewell.

The rain, formed of magic and light, fell from the sky. Though it didn’t wet their clothes, it dramatically set the scene.

The audience, fully immersed in Dave’s tragic situation, wept openly, even the heaviest men couldn’t keep their eyes dry.

Fortunately, in the movie's latter half, Dave’s luck turned. He was noticed by a wizard and became an apprentice, joining an organization that opposed the empire’s brutal regime.

There, Dave realized his past miseries weren’t divine trials as the church preached, and there was no such thing as heaven...

Breaking free from past constraints, Dave awoke, ready to overthrow the empire and church’s rule with his fellow wizards, liberating the citizens still suffering under the church’s torment and noble oppression.

After extensive study and several trials, Dave grew from an apprentice to a capable wizard in his own right.

It seemed fate was on his side. During a mission, he discovered a local noble oppressing the poor—a scene reminiscent of his past. This time, he didn’t let the tragedy unfold.

Dave stood firm, killed the noble, and helped a loving commoner couple escape to safety, then faced a deadly showdown with a church bishop!

Divine magic and wizardly spells clashed on the square, drawing gasps from the onlookers, who clenched their fists in tension. A few irate laborers picked up stones, throwing them at the bishop in a futile attempt to disrupt his spells.

Despite their efforts, the stones simply passed through the bishop’s body, as spectators they couldn’t alter the course of events!

Thankfully, after a fierce battle, Dave triumphantly overcame his foe.

Though he couldn’t protect his wife back then, having gained power, he now safeguarded others' happiness!

The movie ended on Dave’s somber silhouette, spanning over three hours—a lengthy show, but the townsfolk watched with relish, even feeling they could watch for hours more!

While

 the movie’s ending was relatively happy, it left many questions unanswered, like whether Dave would return to that baron’s domain to avenge the wrongs of the local nobility and church.

As the movie producer and projector, Sean understood the audience’s expectations, promptly announcing that "Dave's Saga II—The Secret of the Moon Goddess" would premiere in three months across all cities of the magic kingdom.

The mere title sparked wild speculations among the braver townsfolk about the disgraceful acts of the moon goddess in secret.

Listening to the commoners' discussions, Tirall felt a chill, realizing the wizards intended to fundamentally shake the belief in the moon goddess.

By the movie’s end, even he harbored a satisfying thought about the bishop’s and previous nobles’ deaths, though in reality, the baron’s son who assaulted Dave’s fiancée and the clerics hadn’t really acted out of line.

After all, within the entire domain, serfs were the lord’s property; not only assaults but even killings were settled by mere fines to the church.

In some remote northern territories, the tradition of droit de seigneur existed, but many lords didn’t bother to enforce it since most peasant women were unattractive.

Annoyed, Tirall thought, unaware that his unusual reactions had been noted.

“Should we arrest No. 69, 137, 540, 7031, and 9520 for their abnormal behavior during the screening, Lord Sean?” a wizard inquired quietly, scanning the departing townsfolk.

They screened the movie in every imperial city to promote and identify sympathizers or dissenters.

Those agreeing with the council’s rule empathized with the protagonist and fluctuated emotionally with the plot. However, several viewers had watched with grim faces throughout.

Sean had noticed these individuals, waving off further action. “I already know their identities; they’re likely members of the Moon Watchers. Let’s spare them for now, as commanded…”

“Unless they act rashly, ignore their actions.”

Sean then turned to a masked guard. “Pym, keep an eye on them.”

“Lord Sean, about the revival of the moon goddess…” Pym hesitated, the matter seeming crucial, but Sean appeared indifferent.

“I’ve reported it already. When I return to the capital, I’ll personally discuss your findings with that high official.”

This kind of intelligence had been gathered more than once during the national movie screenings. The entire continent wasn’t just home to the Moon Watchers; other remnants of the church existed.

Sean vaguely understood why the moon goddess 'awoke'—the magical star from a foreign land might have captured the deity worshiped by the church, possibly explaining the sudden restoration of clerical powers.

As for why these church remnants were left unchecked, Sean wasn’t sure, but the council’s chair, with unfathomable power and vast wisdom, wasn’t to be questioned. Following orders was undoubtedly the safest course.

Seeing Sean unwilling to discuss further, Pym didn’t press, speculating that the Moon Watchers might just be bait to lure out those opposing the council’s rule. These dim-witted nobles and church remnants couldn’t stir much trouble; their existence might even help expose ambitious adversaries hiding in the shadows.

“Alright, let’s pack up and move on!” After the orderly departure of the thousands of townsfolk, Sean collected the nine projection stones and performed his self-developed cleaning magic.

A mysterious magical breeze swept through, gently righting the scattered chairs and tables.

The second gust targeted the litter on the ground—responsible for dusting and tidying.

In less than half a minute, the once messy town square was pristine.

Sean nodded in satisfaction, his cleaning magic nearly perfect, just lacking a name.

Unlike most wizards focused on enhancing the power of their spells, Sean had little interest in combat; he preferred researching magics that could simplify life.

Although the council still faced some crises, and developing combat magic was a priority, there were enough people working on such spells. Someone had to take care of making life more convenient, right?

…

Sean spent two weeks in the northern borderlands, the final stop of the kingdom’s tour. He then happily returned to the capital aboard an airship, bringing his work directly to Lynn for a meeting.

“Lord Sean, I’ve seen your film, and the script is excellent, far more exciting than I expected,” Lynn praised generously.

It was the kingdom’s first movie, and Sean and his team were novices in filmmaking. Blending so many elements together, the results were surprisingly good, far exceeding his expectations.

“It’s all thanks to the book you provided on scriptwriting and cinematography that I managed to complete the movie in just six months,” Sean said humbly, then paused, reflecting. “Listening to the commoners recount their past experiences also gave me much inspiration. I simply compiled their stories together.”

His "Dave’s Saga" became a sensation across the kingdom partly because the plot was based on real stories

, with the actual people playing the roles, naturally delivering stellar performances!

Of course, the real Dave’s story didn’t have the movie’s dramatic turnaround; his fate was far more tragic. Participating in the movie allowed him to fulfill a long-held dream in a way.

Lynn patted Sean’s shoulder, praising him further, then mentioned some issues noticed during the screening.

For instance, a three-hour movie was too lengthy, and the plot’s detail was excessive. Some dull scenes could be cut or even removed without affecting the main storyline.

Sean nodded, having noticed these issues during the numerous screenings. Fortunately, the novelty of the premiere had made the kingdom’s citizens tolerant of the initially tedious plot.

“By the way, Chairman Lynn,” Sean suddenly remembered his duty, hurriedly reporting. “During this tour, I’ve gathered quite a bit of intelligence on the moon goddess. A guard mentioned that the remnants of the church seem to have regained their ability to perform spells.”

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