Chapter 772 — The Earl of Ballin's Astonishment
Blade of Dawn · Page 1 of 4
In Cecil, a city whose development advanced with each passing day, new things were forever coming into being.
Any competent imperial administrator or regional governor was bound to be intrigued by such novelties.
After a brief silence, Victoria looked toward the Earl of Ballin. "Perhaps we might go and take a look."
"You mean that new-style theater?" The earl was taken aback for a moment, never having expected the Ice Duke—a woman known for her cold aloofness and her supposed lack of interest in "drama"—to make such a suggestion. But he quickly realized that what interested her was probably the "arcane technology" behind this new-form theater, and so he nodded at once. "Of course. I mean, it is well worth seeing. Arcane technology can be applied in every conceivable way, and I am curious myself what it might have to do with the stage."
"Find out where it is," Victoria said, her face impassive, her tone flat. "We shall go now."
It took little effort to learn where the new-style theater performed, and Victoria's party soon followed the directions of passersby to a large building in the southern quarter of the city.
It was an unremarkable-looking structure, vastly different from the "theaters" of the Earl of Ballin's memory. Theaters had always been the exclusive domain of nobles and wealthy burghers, and so naturally ought to look splendid and ornate. Yet what he saw was only a plain, squarish two-story building; apart from its considerable size, there was nothing about it that could be called refined or magnificent.
And around this rather modest large building, a considerable crowd had already gathered.
A single glance was enough to show that they were, almost without exception, common folk.
These people, dressed in all manner of winter clothes and visibly expectant, had clearly been waiting here for some time. Those at the outer edge craned their necks toward the theater's entrance, while closer in, uniformed security staff could be seen keeping order. Some chatted and laughed loudly in the crowd; some merchants, spotting an opportunity, had even set up handcarts around the square, hawking snacks and drink.
Such a bustling scene gave the Earl of Ballin quite a start. The theater entrances of his memory would never see a crowd like this; the theatergoers he knew were well-dressed gentlemen and ladies who arrived by carriage with their stewards and made their unhurried entrance under the attendants' welcome. Where had this rabble come from?
"All these people… all here for that new-style theater?" The earl from the royal capital widened his eyes. "Common citizens, every one of them… Is Xuan Yao City truly this wealthy? Can every man afford the price of admission?"
"My lord, it is said… a ticket costs only a few copper coins—six aires, in the new currency," said one of the attendants who had gone ahead to make inquiries, an expression of disbelief on his face. "And since today is the new-style theater's first appearance, the price is halved again…"
"Three aires!" The Earl of Ballin's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "That is practically giving it away!"
Then he whipped his head around toward the square, and at the sight of the dense crowd could not help but cry out under his breath, "By the gods and all our ancestors! No wonder there are so many. Even if they care nothing for the drama, these citizens would not begrudge a few coins to satisfy their curiosity… But with so many people pouring into the theater, how are the actors on stage supposed to perform? How is order to be maintained?"
"It will most likely descend into utter chaos, my lord," another noble from the royal capital in their party could not help shaking his head. "And… look, it is already chaotic enough here as it is."
No sooner had the royal-capital noble finished speaking than the cries of the cart vendors around the square reached the Earl of Ballin's ears—loud, piercing voices that drove straight into the earl's skull: