I Became A Playwright In Medieval Fantasy-Chapter 34

"Wolfgang, skipping your lessons again to play conqueror? If Father finds out, he'll be furious."

"Ugh, sister. Please, don't tell on me..."

"Haha."

His sister chuckled softly as she looked at her little brother's bright, innocent eyes.

Despite their large age gap, the two siblings had a close bond.

Their mother, the Empress, passed away due to illness not long after Wolfgang was born, and as a result, his older sister, Diana, had taken on the role of both a sister and a mother figure.

This is why Wolfgang deeply respected and revered his sister, treating her almost like a second parent.

"So, you like Xiang Yu that much, Wolfgang? Enough to spend all day imitating him? You weren't this obsessed when Phantom's other works came out."

"Of course! He's the greatest hero, sister!"

Wolfgang nodded eagerly, his excitement clear.

At just twelve years old, the young boy raised the toy sword and swung it enthusiastically, shouting out in a grandiose voice.

"How is it? This is the energy that can pull mountains and overturn the world, the might of the Conqueror who stands against all! Who dares to block Xiang Yu's path!"

The line, "How is it (何如)?", was Xiang Yu’s catchphrase in Farewell to the Conqueror. It succinctly captured his proud and overbearing nature as he stood at the forefront of battle.

As Diana watched her brother imitate the character with pride, an ambiguous smile appeared on her face.

"Well, I don’t know, Wolfgang. Do you really think Xiang Yu will be the ultimate victor?"

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

"What do I mean? Come on, you and I have both seen Phantom's works for years."

Shrrip!

The page turned in Diana’s hands. She was currently reading the first edition of The Dialogues, which she had read and re-read several times since its release.

She gently traced the words inscribed on the walls of the Temple of Delphi: "Know thyself." Then, she added quietly,

"Everyone is driven by some form of motivation, Wolfgang. Everyone has their own driving force that shapes how they navigate the world."

This was true of all the ‘hero’ protagonists in Phantom’s plays.

Admiral Li was driven by his noble loyalty and his devotion to protecting the nation. Caesar was motivated by personal ambition and his sense of noblesse oblige. Moses was driven by his unwavering faith and his duty to save his people.

"But Xiang Yu? What drives him?"

"Uh, um... Justice?"

"No, it's anger. And vengeance."

His anger at the Qin Dynasty that took his homeland, his thirst for revenge against the enemy who killed his uncle Xiang Liang, and the sword he raised against those who dared to defy him.

These were the most critical distinctions that separated Xiang Yu from the other protagonists.

And for Diana, those differences were far from coincidental.

"Xiang Yu can never be the ultimate victor, Wolfgang. His character will inevitably cause him to make a catastrophic mistake and collapse under his own weight."

"What? What are you saying?! There's no way Xiang Yu could lose! He's a peerless hero who can bring a million soldiers to their knees!"

"Is that so? Shall we make a bet? As it happens, the date for the premiere of the second part has just been confirmed."

Diana leaned gracefully on her hand, eyeing Wolfgang's collection with a sly grin as she proposed her wager.

"If Xiang Yu wins, I’ll give you my most cherished item from my collection. But if Xiang Yu loses, I’ll take something from yours. How about it?"

The Clausewitz siblings shared a collector's spirit.

Ever since becoming Phantom's ardent fans, they had both eagerly gathered various related items.

Because of this, competition between them was inevitable when it came to securing unique pieces.

With a confident smile, Wolfgang replied,

"Ah! So, you were a Han loyalist all along, sister? Fine! Let’s bet! But don’t come crying later when you regret it!"

"Haha, very well."

And so, Prince Wolfgang threw all his faith into Xiang Yu, betting that his victory was assured.

...Completely oblivious to the dark clouds of defeat looming on the horizon.

A few days later, Farewell to the Conqueror’s first part was interrupted at the Gellorucina Theater, and instead, posters for the second part went up.

Just like before, the posters featured the heroic Xiang Yu front and center in an alluring watercolor style.

However, the tagline for the second part was entirely different from the first.

Where the tagline for the first part had been Strength to Uproot Mountains, Power to Shake the World, the tagline for the second part read You can win an empire on horseback, but you cannot rule it from horseback.

"What does that mean? It sounds like a riddle."

A man tilted his head as he read the explanation written beneath the elven script.

"Well, we’ll find out when we watch it. I’m more curious about Xiang Yu's next legendary feat. Let’s go in."

The audience chattered excitedly as they entered the theater, eager to see what grand martial prowess Xiang Yu would display next.

...Meanwhile, behind the curtain, Rosaline Wenford nervously swallowed as she watched the audience from backstage.

"Nervous, Rosaline?"

"Mm, a little."

Rosaline smiled shyly as she looked at me, dressed in Xiang Yu's costume.

She was currently wearing the costume for Consort Yu, one of the other major roles in the second part.

Had she been referenced so much when they created Consort Yu's character?

Her delicate and graceful appearance seemed so perfectly suited to the role that it was as if the real Consort Yu stood before me, not Rosaline.

"But it's fine. I’ve practiced a lot."

"..."

She said it was fine, but it was obvious that she was still very nervous about her first-ever performance.

I’d gone through the same thing when I impulsively accepted the role of Xiang Yu for an A+ grade.

For a moment, I reached out and took Rosaline’s hand.

"Uh, Balthazar?"

"Just stay still for a moment."

"Ah?!"

Rosaline flinched, her face turning bright red as she squirmed slightly.

...Of course, I wasn’t doing anything inappropriate.

I was merely pressing some pressure points on her palm to relax her tense nerves.

After a bit of a massage, I asked,

"How is it? Do you feel less stiff now?"

"...Yes, much better. Where did you learn something so useful, Balthazar?"

"Oh, well. My family’s a martial family, you know. I learned some emergency treatments from my father."

"Emergency treatments? Balthazar, you really do know some fascinating things, don’t you?"

That was a lie. It’s just something I picked up as a Korean familiar with acupressure.

What started as a fun little hobby has turned out to be surprisingly practical.

"Haha, you’ve always been so knowledgeable, Balthazar. You know so many things I’ve never heard of, and you have such unique ideas."

"Really?"

"Yes. Sometimes it feels like you’re not even from this world. Like you’ve come from some entirely different place."

That made me flinch. Even if she was only joking, her words hit a bit too close to home.

After all, the soul of my past self, Ha Eun-seong, was blended with my current self, Balthazar.

"Does that make you uncomfortable? Am I too weird?"

I asked half-jokingly, but Rosaline shook her head with a soft smile.

"No? In fact, it makes you even more charming. I’m genuinely glad I get to be with someone like you, Balthazar."

"Re-really?"

Now that made me blush a bit. Though I know she didn’t mean anything by it, her words were still a little embarrassing.

Our kind and innocent Rosaline—it's great that she’s so sweet, but she really doesn’t realize just how easily she captivates others, does she?

At that moment, the stage manager called out nearby.

"Alright, we’re starting! On the count of ten, tear the poster and rush out!"

So I held out my hand to Rosaline, as if escorting her.

"Shall we, my Consort Yu?"

"Hehe, yes."

Her face bloomed with a radiant smile like a summer rose as she looked into my eyes, her emerald orbs shimmering.

"Let’s go together, my Conqueror."

As we stepped onto the stage as a pair of lovers...

"Oh, by the way, did you receive the script revisions?"

"Revisions? Yes, I did. Why?"

"No reason. Never mind."

...But did she really get them? She seemed a little unsure.

There had been several minor script changes to enhance the impact of the second part.

Although the overall plot remained intact, many of the romantic and dramatic elements had been refined for better pacing.

However, during the final rehearsal before the opening, Rosaline had been away meeting her father, so she missed the discussion about the last-minute adjustments.

And in that discussion, a certain scene between Xiang Yu and Consort Yu had been added...

"Um, Rosaline? Are you sure you received everything? There was one more script—"

"3, 2, 1! It’s showtime! Actors, to your positions!"

But there was no time to ask any further.

As the grand music began, the curtain rose for the second part of Farewell to the Conqueror.

Thud, thud, thud!

[Courage rises against the stormy seas, and the blood boiling in my heart burns hotter than the red sun~♬] [Iron-like resolve, steel-like bones, a grand ambition in my chest, my gaze piercing beyond the horizon~♫]

The elven acrobatic troupe performed the opening theme of Farewell to the Conqueror as the show began.

The lively melody of The Will of the South stirred the audience, causing them to sway and laugh in excitement.

In the first part, as the music played, the "hero" of the show would dramatically tear through the central backdrop, making a grand entrance.

"Haha, it’s finally starting!"

"Hurry up and come out, Xiang Yu! Show us your amazing martial arts again today!"

The audience eagerly called out for the Conqueror.

And then, as if in response to their cheers, the backdrop tore open, and someone burst onto the stage...

...But it wasn’t Xiang Yu.

[Hahaha! Oh dear! Were you all expecting Xiang Yu to show up?]

A man dressed in red military armor, with a red cape, stepped onto the stage.

It was the son of the Red Emperor, Liu Bang, Xiang Yu’s mortal enemy, grinning smugly at the audience.

[Western Chu's Overlord! You didn’t forget your sworn brother Liu Bang, did you?]

Shing!

Drawing a sword that had just cut through a large white serpent, the actor playing Liu Bang shouted,

[I’ve returned as King of Han after overcoming the humiliation at Hongmen! Let’s fight for supremacy again, Xiang Yu, hahahaha!]

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King of Han, Liu Bang, had returned in an effort to seize control of the empire.

However, despite his promising start, his success was far from satisfactory.

Although a vast number of discontented soldiers had flocked to Liu Bang's side, unhappy with Xiang Yu, and he had temporarily captured Pengcheng, the capital of Chu, it didn't last long.

Xiang Yu returned with just a small detachment, and completely obliterated Liu Bang's forces.

“Liu Bang! How dare you challenge me?!”

Xiang Yu roared as he slew General Yin Wang Sima Ang and King Shen Yang of Henan in succession.

It was the Battle of Pengcheng, where Xiang Yu's 30,000 soldiers utterly crushed Liu Bang’s 560,000-strong army—a battle that defied all common sense and military strategy. This spectacular clash marked the opening scene of Farewell to the Conqueror: Part Two.

"Haha! I knew it! Run, Liu Bang, run, you coward!"

“It was obvious from the start! How could the likes of King Han stand up to the Conqueror?"

"Chase him down, Xiang Yu! Show him what happens when you defy the Conqueror!"

Liu Bang fled in a panicked rush, abandoning his family and subordinates. The audience erupted into laughter at his cowardly antics, while the few fans of Liu Bang could only watch in tears, lamenting his defeat.

“Damn it, King Han! You made such a grand entrance—I thought you’d put up more of a fight…”

“Agh! I had high hopes, but this is what we get?! Phantom, please buff Liu Bang!”

The Battle of Pengcheng was a perfect victory for Xiang Yu, the Conqueror of Western Chu.

Of the 560,000 enemy troops, 100,000 were killed in battle, and another 200,000 were taken prisoner by Chu forces. Seeing these overwhelming results, the audience expected Xiang Yu to dominate the world once again, just as he had in the first part of the play.

…But then, things started to take a strange turn.

"I have fought day and night to destroy the wicked Qin and restore the old order of the World Tree. And now, Liu Bang, that snake, has dared to rebel against me?"

Sitting on the golden throne of Chu, dressed in his dragon-scale armor and gripping the Longchuan Sword, Xiang Yu furrowed his brow in anger.

Then, in an act that none could have predicted, he issued an unimaginable command.

It was the very massacre of Xianyang that Phantom had tactfully omitted from the first part of the play.

And now, with not a word changed, Xiang Yu gave the exact same order.

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"General Yongju, bury all 200,000 prisoners alive. Those who disturb the Conqueror's order will receive no mercy."

"Wha—?! What did he just say?!"

"B-bury all the prisoners? All 200,000 of them?!"

The audience gasped in disbelief, their eyes wide with shock.

While mass executions were not unheard of in the medieval-like world of this fantasy, where human life was often cheap, the order to bury 200,000 innocent soldiers alive was beyond extreme.

Even the characters in Farewell to the Conqueror reacted with the same horror.

"Conqueror! Please reconsider! We cannot commit such a heinous atrocity!"

Fan Zeng, Xiang Yu’s loyal mentor and strategist, clung desperately to his lord’s robes, his face twisted in despair as he pleaded.

"We rose up to defeat the wicked Qin and save the people! If you kill them all, everything we’ve fought for will be meaningless! This is not like you, Conqueror!"

"Let go of me, Abo! What do you mean, it’s not like me?!"

But Xiang Yu swatted his mentor’s hand away as if it were a nuisance. His face flushed with anger, he glared out at the audience and shouted.

"I have crushed my enemies and established peace centered on Chu! Anyone who defies this order will face the same fate—my sword!"

"Conqueror! Please, if nothing else, spare the innocent soldiers! They are not to blame!"

"Innocent soldiers? Don’t make me laugh! Anyone who opposes the Conqueror’s rule is as evil as the Qin! This is my decision, and I will not hear another word about it, Abo!"

In that instant, the tone of the play completely flipped.

And the audience, stunned by the sudden shift, found themselves struggling to keep up.

Before their eyes, the actor playing Fan Zeng uttered a sorrowful monologue, his voice heavy with regret.

"Oh no! The demon has taken hold! Ah, foolish Fan Zeng! How could I have missed the Conqueror’s descent into madness?!"

“Demon? Descent into madness?”

“What does that mean?”

[The demon of the heart and the catastrophe of murder—what are they, you ask?]

The narrator appeared to explain the martial arts concepts to the confused audience.

The demon of the heart was a form of inner darkness that could manifest as overwhelming power when one's desires grew out of control.

The catastrophe of murder referred to the accumulation of cruel deeds and atrocities, which led to a person becoming increasingly corrupted by their own violent actions.

Hearing this, the audience members paled.

“So... that's what it is?”

“He relied too much on violence… and without realizing it, he became corrupted?”

The story of a hero being seduced by evil and falling into darkness was a familiar theme in many Christian-inspired myths, even in this fantasy world. As such, the audience had little trouble grasping the metaphorical implications.

Xiang Yu, the warrior who had once seemed like a champion for justice in the first part, had now, in the second part, transformed into a tyrant no different from the very Qin Emperor he had sworn to destroy.