T/N: Please leave your mind here and enjoy.
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When everyone arrived in front of the massive Honkai: Star Rail backdrop at the press conference venue, the sounds of amazement in the hall still hadn't died down.
The three members of the Astral Express were already used to such reactions. The three of them naturally found their positions and waved to the surroundings.
Click! Click! The sound of shutters went off like crazy.
Although the people of Okhema Theater were nervous, they had already prepared themselves mentally beforehand.
They also carried themselves with proper composure.
Very soon, it was time for the Q&A session.
A blond, blue-eyed reporter raised his hand and asked:
"Mr. Xia Wen!"
"As a global entertainment giant, how did MiHoYo, set its sights on Okhema Theater, a little-known theater?"
"As you know, your company's casting process has always been extremely mysterious."
"So much so that many strange rumors about MiHoYo are circulating within the industry."
This was also a question that had long troubled many reporters. MiHoYo's casting process could be called the most mysterious in the entertainment world.
This company always seemed to miraculously dig up complete amateurs from some obscure corner.
Yet, these amateurs from wildly different professions would go on to deliver performances that were astonishingly perfect.
Take Stelle, who was currently staring blankly into the camera, for example.
It was hard to find an actress capable of blending beauty, coolness, and a hint of mischievousness all at once.
And yet Stelle, someone with absolutely no acting experience, managed to express all of that naturally.
It didn't look like acting at all. Now that MiHoYo's boss was standing right in front of them, the reporters naturally asked this question that had puzzled the world for a long time.
Xia Wen glanced at the reporter, wagged his finger slightly, and smiled as he said: "Take that back, Mr. Reporter. Okhema Theater is by no means unknown within MiHoYo."
"It is a grand part of MiHoYo."
"As for why we chose them…"
"It's because, for the future development of Star Rail, they are very important."
"As for how we found such perfectly compatible candidates..."
At this point, Xia Wen glanced at the people behind him and said firmly: "For us, this was not a search, but a reunion."
"When the script of Amphoreus needed souls, Okhema Theater was the predestined answer."
Hearing this explanation, many reporters laughed.
It had to be said, the boss of a top-tier company truly lived up to his reputation.
The art of saying everything while saying nothing had been mastered to perfection.
Hearing the laughter, Xia Wen laughed as well.
He shrugged. Everything he had just said was one hundred percent true.
This truly was a reunion. Game characters appearing in reality and personally acting out their own stories, that was exactly how it was.
After questioning Xia Wen, the reporters understood that they wouldn't be able to get anything more out of him.
So they shifted their attention and focused on the other main figures.
A sharp-looking woman raised her hand and asked: "Ms. Aglaea, as the leader and manager of Okhema Theater, standing here now under the gaze of the entire world, what is your greatest feeling at this moment?"
Aglaea took the microphone, revealed a gentle smile, and replied gracefully: "Feeling? It's like completing a long voyage and finally arriving at a harbor, peaceful and reassuring."
"If I had known the outcome would be like this, I should've contacted MiHoYo earlier."
"At the very least, I wouldn't have fallen into a financial crisis because of Okhema Theater and... well, you know."
The audience instantly burst into laughter.
Before coming here, these well-connected reporters had already obtained detailed information about all members of Okhema Theater, along with several newsworthy incidents.
Naturally, they understood what Aglaea's half-joking remark referred to.
Even when faced with such a grand scene, Miss Aglaea still had the mood to joke, showing no stage fright at all.
This elegance and confidence were undeniable proof of her caliber.
The next question was directed at Anaxagoras.
"Mr. Anaxagoras, according to the information we've gathered, you're known for your sharp tongue."
"From a small-town theater in Greece to MiHoYo's world-class stage, what do you think is the biggest change for you?"
"And do you still stand by those... unique artistic views of yours?"
After the question, Anaxagoras shrugged indifferently and said: "The biggest change? Probably that I used to have to watch my tone when insulting people, but now I might not need to anymore?"
In the past, he had to consider whether his words would cause trouble for Okhema Theater.
But now, that concern was completely gone. He could finally unleash his criticism on those old fogeys!
And that wasn't all. Anaxagoras continued: "As for artistic views, of course I'll stick to them."
"It's just that before, I was talking to a few hundred people who didn't understand."
"Now, it might be tens of millions. That's all."
Hearing this answer, the reporters' laughter grew even louder.
Their interest in Okhema Theater also rose significantly.
It was truly strange. Such a group of distinctive, unconventional individuals, how had they failed to discover them earlier?
The following Q&A session went even more smoothly.
Whether it was the shy and gentle Castorice or the lively Hyacine, their answers made the atmosphere even more relaxed and cheerful.
Until the questions reached Phainon.
A reporter asked: "Mr. Phainon, you look very handsome today, but we've heard that you personally favor a rather... unique color combination."
"Could you share your fashion insights with us?"
Phainon's eyes instantly lit up. That expression was practically as if someone had hit his sweet spot.
Standing beside him, Mydeimos inwardly cursed that this was bad news. Before he could stop him, Phainon excitedly said: "You think yellow and purple look great too, right?"
"I've always believed they're colors full of imagination and mystery."
"It's just that... a lot of people say my sense of aesthetics is questionable."
"I think it looks pretty good though..."
After saying that, Phainon even nodded seriously.
Seeing that he was about to continue, Mydeimos quickly grabbed him and helplessly said into the microphone: "His insight is that he has no insight!"
"Answer complete!"
The venue instantly filled with laughter once again.
Only Phainon stood there, completely confused, staring at the cheerful crowd. He genuinely couldn't understand what was wrong with yellow and purple at all.
...
That day.
All across Greece, the news spread at astonishing speed.
The Heart of Clear Springs of the Okhema Theater and Once I Was In Arcadia were likewise fully unveiled to the public eye.
Ironically, the plays that Aglaea and the others had painstakingly rehearsed had, prior to this, only enjoyed a certain level of recognition within their small town.
But after today, it was as if everyone had become fans of these two new productions.
And as the interview segments were compiled into formal news reports.
The story of how Okhema was first appreciated through Furnina, the assistant director, and how this led to a complete repositioning of its value and artistic significance, was laid bare in full detail.
....
[Greece Times: The first appearance of the once-obscure members of Okhema stunned the entire audience. Both Heart of Clear Springs andOnce I Was In Arcadiademonstrate potential that transcends everything. We once had the chance to witness, on our own soil, the rise of a new generation of postmodern theater masters, but regrettably, we let it slip away.]
[Acropolis Gazette: Okhema Theater is a diamond we failed to notice. Only after MiHoYo unearthed it did we see her brilliance again. The tragedy is that we possessed a treasure, yet allowed it to gather dust, until a connoisseur arrived to polish it. Only then did we suddenly realize what we had lost. All of this can be traced back to the "protection" of the Arts Committee, and the shortsightedness of people like Cinnati.]
[Thessaloniki City Herald: Although we once failed to realize that the seeds of transformation had already been born, and thus missed them, we still wish them well. They deserve a larger stage. Greek culture is destined to embrace modernity, and its union with Honkai: Star Rail, as Xia Wen put it, was fate itself. At the same time, we must ensure that similar mistakes never happen again.]
[Hellenic National Daily: MiHoYo's choice proves that the depth and creativity of Greek culture have never dried up. From Okhema's departure, we must learn to cherish local talent more deeply, reform rigid systems, and ensure that the next three "Okhema Theater's" will not be forced to travel so far in order to succeed.]
That day, media coverage across Greece carried the same bittersweet sentiment, like watching an undiscovered beauty from one's own home being led away by a bastard.
The more flawlessly Okhema performed at the press conference. The stronger that feeling became.
Why was it that we failed to discover Okhema ourselves? Damn it, it's all the fault of Cinnati and that bunch of idiots on the Arts Committee!
....
Aside from all that, the fans' reactions were especially intense.
Okhema's signing was destined to be connected to the upcoming Amphoreus.
So many people joining at once. For the fans, the anticipation was pushed straight to the maximum.
However, MiHoYo's official website did not release much information.
Because Aglaea and the others were still in the midst of a long flight and had just returned to MiHoYo headquarters.
....
Upon first arriving at MiHoYo headquarters.
Everyone was filled with curiosity, especially when they saw so many characters from various series appearing before them, alive and in the flesh.
As devoted fans of Honkai: Star Rail, they were practically exploding with excitement.
Tribbie, Hyacine, Castorice quickly blended in.
Meanwhile, Mydeimos and Phainon were already mingling effortlessly with the men.
As for Anaxagoras, he didn't stop for even a moment, heading straight for Ratio.
Aglaea also struck up a conversation with Himeko. After just one day of rest and getting familiar with the environment.
On the second day, Xia Wen convened a meeting, specifically inviting everyone from Okhema to attend.
He handed them the Amphoreus script that had long since been prepared on the Honkai: Star Rail side.
Because Okhema's group also had their own Amphoreus script, though, in truth, the core of both scripts was essentially the same.
Xia Wen's explanation was that after obtaining Okhema's script through "Furina," they had already begun adapting it here.
No one suspected anything, and all focused entirely on the script itself.
After reading through it. Everyone was utterly stunned.
Aglaea and the others realized that their previous struggle over how to integrate Amphoreus into the Honkai: Star Rail universe had been resolved in an instant.
The script was incredibly rich. Each of them found that the roles they projected into Amphoreus matched them one hundred percent.
Moreover, it perfectly corresponded, one by one, with Honkai: Star Rail's prior foreshadowing of the Paths tied to Amphoreus.
After finishing the script no one raised any objections.
On the contrary, deep down they were impatient to throw themselves into filming.
Because the story was moving, tear-jerking, passionate, and thought-provoking. Everything they had ever imagined about Greek philosophy was vividly experienced within its pages.
Xia Wen was delighted to see everyone so fired up.
Thus, the main production of Amphoreus officially began filming. They started with simpler PV materials, letting everyone ease into it.
The salvation PV, as well as the other scenes.
All required everyone to appear together.
As for Xia Wen himself, while supervising, he also, for the first time in a long while, used his own account to post the first official teaser about Amphoreus on the website.
[Xia Wen: Many people have asked me what kind of story Amphoreus will be. All I can tell you is this, it will definitely be a romantic story unlike anything before.]
The fans instantly went wild. Fans began frantically analyzing Xia Wen's words.
As expected! Their anticipation was justified! A romantic story unlike any before.
Just how romantic did it have to be for MiHoYo's boss to say this with such absolute certainty?
It was too exciting!!!
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T/N: Ugh, no more brain-rot please. I removed as much as possible.