Just as Xia Wen finished preparing everything and was setting off for Greece,
On the other side.
Inside the Okhema Theater.
The atmosphere was now completely different from before.
Everyone was staying here peacefully, occasionally studying the script or imagining their future lives.
There was no pressure at all!
Outside the theater, Aglaea and Tribios were placing a public notice at the entrance.
Over the past few days, the residents had worried a lot about Okhema. Though the performers had temporarily left, it was so they could return even better.
Still, this was something they had to explain clearly to the theater's supporters.
Okhema would continue to remain here; they were not going anywhere.
Just as the two brought the notice board to the entrance,
A few young people ran over to the door.
These young people were not unfamiliar to Aglaea and Tribios; they had seen them on social media these past few days.
During the townspeople's spontaneous protest march earlier, these were the ones recording videos, editing them, and posting them online.
They even made solemn promises on camera to Aglaea and Tribios that they would definitely help Okhema.
But now, they stood with their heads lowered, looking utterly dejected.
"S-Sorry… we failed."
The young man in the lead had a lost expression, completely lacking the fiery spirit he had during the protest march.
Aglaea put down what she was holding and calmly asked, "What happened?"
"We, we thought that as long as we held a march, everything would turn out fine."
The girl beside him muttered, "But… things weren't anything like we imagined."
From the young people's explanation, Aglaea heard a story.
To protect Okhema, this group chose a method they had believed in since childhood: A protest.
Just like the countless ones shown on the news.
XX held a march, and the XX issue was eventually resolved.
However, when they tried it themselves, things were completely different from their expectations.
The carefully edited protest videos gained no views.
The scenes of passionate townspeople waving signs, played on various social media platforms,
Received only pitiful single-digit plays.
"We tagged every media account we could find, but none of them responded. And the few that did were all tiny accounts that no one cared about."
"No… it wasn't supposed to be like this."
"None of the major media reported it. All the posts we made vanished without a trace."
The girl kept her head down. It was clear how deeply this experience had wounded her.
They had always believed that as long as the people spoke up, attention would follow, and the authorities would be forced to address the issue.
But problems… also have big and small ones. And Okhema's issue, no one cared, no one discussed it, and it had no "value."
"Our voices… don't seem to reach anyone."
The girl raised her head, looking at Aglaea with apology and confusion. "We… it seems like we can't help the theater anymore…"
Aglaea, who had been in good spirits after Okhema's crisis was resolved, felt her heart sink again.
Looking at their pure, earnest faces, she opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.
The process they had trusted so deeply was crumbling before their eyes.
Protest sparks attention, media follows up with reports, public opinion forces officials to act,
But none of it happened for them.
And she couldn't just tell them that the protests they saw on the news always had political forces backing them; without power to push it forward, a march was just… a march.
Looking at these young people, whose passion had driven them to act yet now left them crushed, Aglaea finally spoke: "It's alright. As long as you did what you believed was right, that's enough."
"But, but Okhema…"
The girl looked at her sadly. "Watching plays… it's the last kind of entertainment we have left here. If even you leave, then for kids like us in this town… there'll be nothing left except those damned phones."
"Okhema Theater won't close."
Tribios said with a cute, sincere tone, "Don't worry. Look, we've already solved the problem. We just need to go far away for a while to train with some really amazing people."
"When we come back, Okhema will reopen, and you'll see even better, even more incredible performances!"
"Hehe, maybe by that time, everyone at Okhema will have become big stars!"
Aglaea nodded with a smile. "Tribios is right. Okhema will always be here. We're not going anywhere."
"We understand."
"We believe you."
The confusion and sadness faded a little from their faces.
"Just like that? You trust us so easily?" Aglaea thought she'd have to explain more.
"Because you're not like those scammers."
"I don't believe the creators of Heart of the Clear Spring and I was once in Arcadia would ever lie to us!"
The young people said it loudly and proudly.
"That is… the heaviest trust I've ever received." Aglaea froze for a moment, then laughed softly, comforting them in a warm tone. "Anyway, look forward to our return."
Naive trust. Just like their naive trust when making protests.
But this time, Aglaea would not let their expectations be disappointed.
"Alright, we'll leave the notice here. Please help us pass the message to everyone."
With a quick motion, Tribios inserted the last board into the ground, clapped her hands, and spoke cheerfully.
The two of them looked completely relaxed.
Which only made the young people all the more convinced that Okhema Theater was truly going to "train."
Maybe it was to avoid attention, but it didn't matter. Seeing them like this, it didn't feel helpless like before.
So, the young people's worries finally eased.
After saying goodbye to them, Aglaea and Tribios returned to the theater.
Before MiHoYo arrived, they had to fly to another city first.
As for why they didn't stay longer, because neither Aglaea nor the others could bear to see the residents' disappointed eyes.
'The day after tomorrow… our new boss will be here.'
Aglaea murmured to herself.