Chapter 419: Opera and Music
Star Sea Castle boasted more than just fine wine and delicacies; it also featured separate grand theater and concert hall buildings, complete with a dedicated troupe of performers.
After taking over the castle, Duane had chosen not to dismiss them, keeping the entire troupe. He found it was rather nice to watch an opera or hold a ball during his leisure time.
Thus, before His Highness Otto’s arrival at the castle today, Duane had already instructed Logan to arrange for an opera performance.
The red curtains parted, and following a booming introduction from the theater manager, an Otherworld version of *Romeo and Juliet*, infused with Black Magic, officially began.
It was Duane’s first time seeing such a play.
Though the props and backdrops were plain, in an age without movies or television, this kind of stage play felt quite novel.
The integration of Extraordinary Energy into the fight scenes, paired with a concise, high-conflict plot, made the performance particularly captivating.
And so, an audacious plan formed in Duane’s mind.
‘Opera is a vessel for culture,’ Duane thought. ‘A great production is more than just a feast for the senses; it can also promote positive values and subtly influence an entire generation.’
He could draw upon the movies he’d seen and the history he’d learned before his transmigration, adapt them, and write Otherworld versions of scripts like *Brave Heart*, *Gladiator*, and *Saving Private Ryan*.
Then, he could have the troupe tour the Starfall Islands, Black Forest Island, and other regions. The plays would show people that even commoners could become heroes, instilling in them a sense of national pride and belonging.
‘Without these intangible bonds, the Duke’s Territory is just a loose collection of lands.’
Look no further than recent events. When Duke Eldrin fell and was captured, his people showed no inclination to resist—the thought hadn’t even crossed their minds.
While this apathy made it easier for Duane to take over, he knew that if their roles were reversed, he would consider it a personal failure.
Until now, Duane’s focus on Black Forest Island had been on material improvements; he had done little to cultivate the spirit of his people.
Now that his Territory had expanded to include over four hundred thousand people, it was time to consider building that spiritual foundation.
After the play and music, a grand and lively banquet followed.
Duane had not only summoned Baron Uriel but had also invited Kaelon, Lune, and others into the banquet hall.
In addition, the captive Duke Eldrin, Count Manuel, and their men had also been invited.
Before all who were gathered, His Highness Otto loudly announced the promotions of Duane, Kais, and Uriel, drawing wild cheers from their respective followers.
Kaelon, Raymond, and the others were especially ecstatic. They never imagined Duane would be elevated from a Hereditary Baron straight to a Hereditary Duke in a single leap!
Most people at the banquet were overjoyed—with the exception of the vanquished.
Duke Eldrin and his men huddled at a single table, drinking in sullen silence.
Despite their considerable strength, they knew they were powerless to cause any trouble here.
After the banquet, the guests began to depart. Some were given rooms in the castle, while others left the city to return to their posts or temporary lodgings.
Soon, only Duane and Duke Eldrin’s party remained in the vast banquet hall.
“Your Grace, and all of you gentlemen, I trust you found this evening’s banquet to your satisfaction?” Duane asked with a beaming smile, seated at the head of the long table.
These men had been imprisoned for days. Though they hadn’t wanted for food or drink, their state of mind had surely shifted.
Duane, speaking to them now as a Duke, held a different status than when he was merely an Honorary Count. The dynamic had changed.
Eldrin remained silent, but his vassals glared at Duane with fury in their eyes.
Bin Star Sea, the Duke’s younger brother, sneered. “Duane, finding amusement in our suffering… your tastes are truly base! If you’re going to kill us, then kill us. Why bother with this humiliation?”
“Humiliation?”
Duane shook his head. “Heh, I’m not that petty.”
Eldrin finally spoke. “Your Grace, if you have a purpose, state it plainly. But if you expect us to submit to you, that is impossible. I will not betray the Akutas Kingdom!”
Duane looked at Eldrin with an expression of pity. “Your loyalty is admirable. It’s a shame it’s so misplaced. It seems the Akutas Kingdom has no intention of ransoming you, does it?”
Eldrin’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean by that?”
Duane shrugged. “I’ve already sent men to Sun Stealer Castle to negotiate your ransom. But the man you’re so loyal to, His Highness Howard, the representative of the Akutas Kingdom, refused to even meet with my envoy. Instead, he had some low-ranking official pass on a message, saying he would not abandon you.”
He let out a dry chuckle. “If he truly intended to ransom you, do you think he would refuse to even see my man?”
At these words, Eldrin struggled to maintain his composure, but the faces of his men paled visibly. Duane saw it all.
“Wake up, you noble lords!” he declared. “Perhaps the Akutas Kingdom truly will rescue you, but only after this war is over will they even begin to negotiate. So, I ask you, when will this war end?”
“And even when it is over, do you honestly believe he will be willing to spend a fortune in gold and resources to ransom a group of nobles who have already lost their lands?”
A wry smile played on Duane’s lips. “Or do you think the Akutas Kingdom will somehow manage to take the Starfall Islands back from me, only to return this Territory to the Star Sea Clan, just as it was?”
Eldrin’s expression began to darken.
These were questions he had been too lazy—or too unwilling—to consider. Now that Duane had forced the issue, he had no choice but to confront them.
The reality was that even if he were ransomed and no longer a prisoner, he would be a Duke in title only. He would never get his lands back.
But what could they do, besides wait to be ransomed?
Eldrin looked at Duane. “It seems Your Grace’s goal is still our surrender.”
“Yes!”
This time, Duane admitted it without hesitation. “In this turbulent and perilous age, I do indeed need your strength!”
Of the five men before him, four were Shooting Star Level and one was Celestial Tier. If he could win them over, Duane’s top-tier fighting force would be supplemented as never before.
But Eldrin just laughed mockingly.
“When the Star Sea Clan swore fealty to Akutas, we were granted dominion over most of the Starfall Islands. If I were to swear fealty to you now, what could you possibly give me? The single city of Lange Valley?”
His meaning was clear: Duane had nothing to offer him.
So why should he bear the stain of a traitor?
Duane raised his hand, holding his thumb and index finger close together. “Is your vision really so narrow? Are you only concerned with this tiny little piece of land in the Starfall Islands?”
Eldrin froze for a moment, then the meaning of Duane’s words dawned on him. “Your ambition is far from small, Your Grace!”
Given Duane’s current momentum, no one would believe him if he claimed to have no ambition.
So he didn’t mind appearing a bit more… “arrogant.”
“I’ll be honest with you. Even if you swear fealty, I will not grant you a territory. In fact, none of my vassals will be granted territories.”
“What do you mean?”
Duane explained, “Exactly what it sounds like. Whether they are Barons, Viscounts, or Counts, none of the nobles in my domain hold personal territory. Instead, they receive stipends and privileges.”
He briefly outlined his system, which was met with silence from Eldrin and his men.
Duane spoke of many privileges, but none of them could compare to the unrestrained freedom of being a lord in one’s own right.
Having held such a high position himself, Eldrin naturally looked down on such an arrangement.
However, he understood the goal of Duane’s system perfectly: to centralize all power in his own hands.
He couldn’t help but study the young man before him. ‘This man’s ambition isn’t just large,’ he thought, ‘it’s colossal.’
“Think it over. Instead of tying your fate to the failing Akutas Kingdom, you should think about your own future.”
Duane stood up. “Oh, and Viscount Marvin.”
“Wh-What is it?” Marvin stammered, startled by being addressed so suddenly.
A moment later, likely assuming Duane was trying to turn him, he shouted, “Duane! Don’t look down on me just because I’m only a Celestial Tier Warrior! The conviction of the Spencer Clan will never be shaken!”
Duane couldn’t help but smile. He raised a hand and cast a Blessing Magic spell on the viscount.
Marvin’s body went rigid, and he froze in place.
The others, thinking Duane had used some strange and sinister spell, immediately rose to their feet, their expressions wary.
But a moment later, Marvin’s eyes shot wide open. “I… I… I broke through?” he stammered in disbelief.
Eldrin and the others whipped their heads around. They could indeed feel a stronger aura emanating from Marvin.
Then, they turned back to look at Duane in utter disbelief.
‘He can help someone break through with a mere wave of his hand? What kind of power is that?’
Duane just chuckled, offering no explanation. He was confident they understood the implications of the spell they had just witnessed.
“Kaelon, Simone, please escort our noble prisoners away.”
“Yes, my lord!”
Kaelon and Simone entered with a squad of guards. They first refastened the Meteorite Iron shackles on the prisoners before escorting the group out of the banquet hall.