(3rd Person POV)
Hellfire's rise to #1 lifted the entire Horn Kingdom with it. The stock exchange surged. Other companies' shares climbed on Hellfire's momentum. Economic confidence soared to unprecedented heights.
Citizens were living better than ever before—better than neighboring kingdoms could dream of. To the average person in Horn Kingdom, Hellfire wasn't just a company. It was a savior that had delivered them into prosperity.
The IPO had been the turning point. One week. That's all it took to transform lives.
And with Hellfire Airport bringing constant waves of international visitors, the kingdom thrived like never before.
Arthur Pendragon wasn't just a businessman anymore. He was a hero.
The celebration at Hellfire Park reflected that sentiment. The venue glittered with lights and filled with Horn Kingdom's elite—businessmen, politicians, nobles, even Queen Mary herself, mingling gracefully among the guests.
Everyone knew the truth, though. Mary might wear the crown, but Arthur pulled the strings.
When Arthur finally arrived with Firfel on his arm, the crowd fell silent. All eyes turned toward them.
"Thank you all for attending this celebration," Arthur said, his voice carrying easily across the space. "Today marks something special—not just for my company, but for our entire kingdom."
Applause erupted.
Arthur raised his wine glass. "Of course, Hellfire alone at the top would be lonely. That's why everyone here—every business owner, every entrepreneur—you're family now. We'll help each other grow. We rise together."
He lifted his glass higher. "We are family!"
"We are family!" the guests echoed enthusiastically, raising their own glasses.
More applause followed, though many in attendance understood the subtext. Arthur had just tightened his grip on the kingdom's entire business ecosystem.
Hellfire's power was now absolute.
But no one really minded. Why would they? As Arthur said—when Hellfire rose, they rose with it. They were riding the giant's back to prosperity.
Queen Mary watched the crowd with barely concealed disdain. She could read their faces easily enough. Many of these same people had opposed Hellfire when it was small. Now they pretended they'd always been loyal supporters.
Hypocrites.
"By the way," Arthur added with a warm smile, pulling Firfel closer, "I have another announcement. Firfel and I will be getting married soon. You're all invited to the wedding, of course!"
Firfel's cheeks colored slightly as guests erupted in congratulations.
"The wedding of the century!"
"Business king and actress queen—what a match!"
"We'll absolutely be there!"
The flattery poured thick and fast.
Queen Mary approached, her expression genuinely warm as she looked at Firfel. "Congratulations to both of you. I'm truly happy for you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Firfel replied with a grateful smile.
The celebration continued with good cheer and flowing wine—until a wolf demon in Hellfire Defense uniform burst through the entrance, his face pale with panic.
He rushed straight to Arthur, leaning in to whisper urgently.
The guests couldn't hear what was said, but confusion rippled through the crowd. What could possibly warrant interrupting like this?
Firfel heard it perfectly, though. Her divine senses picked up every word.
"Boss—the news! The Solarus Pope just started a live broadcast with the High Priests. They've declared you an enemy of the church!"
Terror flashed through Firfel's eyes. This was what she'd always feared. She knew Arthur's path would eventually collide with the church's power.
Arthur remained perfectly calm. "I see."
He'd expected this eventually. The timing was earlier than anticipated, but manageable. As long as Solarus himself didn't descend, this was just politics.
With a casual gesture, Arthur signaled for the large flat-screen in the park to be activated. "Change it to SFN."
The Solarus Faith Network—broadcast across the entire world.
Confusion spread among the guests as the screen flickered to life. Then they saw it.
Pope Rockefeller stood at a massive platform before thousands of gathered faithful. Despite his elderly appearance and sightless eyes, his voice carried absolute authority.
"Arthur Pendragon of Horn Kingdom," the Pope declared, "stands accused of heresy and corrupting the faithful. His so-called 'entertainment' lures innocent souls away from their devotion to Lord Solarus. Video games that glorify false gods. Technologies that replace faith with material distraction."
He paused, letting the words sink in across the world.
"I, Pope Rockefeller III, will personally travel to Horn Kingdom with the High Priests to bring this heretic to justice. All his assets shall be seized. All his businesses disbanded. This is the will of our Lord."
Shocked silence gripped Hellfire Park.
Queen Mary's voice cut through first, sharp with outrage. "This is absurd! The Solarus Faith thinks they can just target anyone they please?!"
Others found their voices, emboldened by their queen's anger.
"They can't simply declare someone a criminal without evidence!"
"Mr. Pendragon hasn't broken any laws!"
"This is overreach, pure and simple!"
But beneath the outrage, fear simmered. Everyone knew the truth. The Solarus Faith was the world's most powerful organization. Their influence dwarfed kingdoms. Their word was law in countless territories.
Could even Arthur Pendragon stand against that?
"Ridiculous." Arthur laughed, genuinely amused. "I'm not even part of their faith. How can they label me a heretic?"
Queen Mary's expression darkened. "They can label anyone anything they want. I've seen it happen before. A dwarf king—powerful, wealthy, devoted follower of the God of Craftsman—spoke out against Solarus Faith policies once. They declared him a heretic. His own religious community turned on him, called his worship a cult. He was executed within the month."
The weight of those words settled over the gathered guests.
"So what will you do?" Mary asked, concern clear in her voice. "The stock market's going to react. Investors will panic. This could seriously damage Hellfire."
As someone managing the Horn Kingdom Stock Exchange, Mary understood market psychology. Fear moved faster than reason.
The worry spread visibly through the crowd. Their prosperity was tied to Hellfire's success. If the company fell, they fell with it.
Arthur's calm never wavered. "The Pope's announcement is theater. It won't affect my company significantly."
His confidence was infectious. Several guests straightened, tension easing from their shoulders.
But uncertainty remained. The party continued, but the celebration felt hollow now. Too many worried glances. Too many hushed conversations about an uncertain future.
---
The market's reaction was brutal and immediate.
"HELLFIRE STOCKS PLUMMET 20% FOLLOWING PAPAL CONDEMNATION"
"Investors Flee as Solarus Faith Targets Arthur Pendragon—Is This The End?"
"Market Analysts Divided: Can Hellfire Survive Church Opposition?"
Twenty percent. Nearly fifty billion in market value evaporated overnight.
Yet remarkably, the bleeding stopped there. Many investors held firm. Hellfire had proven itself too many times with genuine innovations. One announcement from an old religious institution—even one as powerful as the Solarus Faith—wasn't enough to destroy that confidence completely.
The Faith's influence was waning in subtle ways. Everyone could see it. This aggressive move against Arthur felt like desperation—an attempt to reassert relevance and power.
---
Three days later, on April 28th, 1277, Pope Rockefeller arrived in Horn Kingdom.
Media crews swarmed the airport, cameras flashing, microphones thrust forward. The elderly Pope moved slowly, his sightless eyes somehow managing to convey dignified authority despite seeing nothing.
"Your Holiness!" A reporter pushed to the front. "Can you explain exactly how Arthur Pendragon offended the Solarus Faith?"
Rockefeller's voice was measured, resonant. "It's quite simple. Mr. Pendragon creates entertainment that corrupts innocent souls and draws them away from faith." He paused deliberately. "Take his film The Demonfather, for instance. There's a scene set during a holy baptism—a sacred moment of welcoming a soul into the faith. Yet while the ceremony proceeds, the narrative cuts away to show assassinations being carried out simultaneously. Murder intercut with sacrament. The implication is clear: our rituals are meaningless facades while true power operates in shadows."
Murmurs rippled through the press corps. The Demonfather baptism scene was years old. Why bring it up now?
A Hellfire-affiliated reporter spoke up boldly. "Will Mr. Pendragon be given opportunity to defend himself, or has the church already decided his guilt?"
"The Horn Royal Court will handle legal proceedings," Rockefeller replied smoothly. "I'm confident this kingdom—operating under Wales authority—will cooperate appropriately with church directives."
The reporter barely suppressed a smile.
Wales authority? In Horn Kingdom? That was a joke. Everyone knew Arthur had systematically dismantled Wales' influence. The kingdom might technically still be a Wales colony on paper, but in reality, Hellfire controlled everything.
The Pope had just walked into a trap, and he didn't even know it yet.
---
Hours after the airport interview, the Horn Royal Court filled to capacity. Media crews packed the gallery—not just local outlets, but international networks from across multiple kingdoms.
This wasn't just another legal proceeding. This was history unfolding in real time.
The richest demon in the world versus the most powerful religious institution. How could anyone look away?
In Japon, an elderly tycoon sat in his study watching the broadcast. He'd faced Solarus Faith pressure himself decades ago—been forced to bend the knee, surrender assets, publicly apologize for imagined offenses.
He sighed heavily. "Another victim. I feel for Arthur Pendragon. The poor bastard doesn't stand a chance."
---
In the Muscovy Empire, Alexander Valorian watched from his Titan Pictures office, expression dark.
"This isn't right," he said quietly.
His secretary glanced over, surprised. "Sir? I thought you'd be... pleased?"
"Pleased?" Alexander's voice carried genuine frustration. "I wanted to beat Arthur in the industry. Film against film. Not watch him get crucified by the church for making good entertainment." He leaned back. "This is cowardice, not competition."
The secretary said nothing, unsure how to respond to this unexpected sympathy.
---
In Morningstar Kingdom's royal castle, King Luke watched the broadcast with his son Crown Prince Azazel in his study.
Luke appeared relaxed, almost curious. He knew Arthur's capabilities well enough not to panic yet. His nephew had proven resourceful before.
Azazel, however, sat rigid in his chair. His hands clenched white-knuckled on the armrests, jaw tight.
'Solarus Faith...' Rage simmered beneath his controlled exterior. Arthur was his brother, regardless of their complicated history.
Down in the castle's main living room, Apollonia fidgeted anxiously on the sofa, unable to sit still.
Lucy sat nearby, expression unreadable as always. Arnold and Bobby watched with poorly concealed satisfaction.
"Guess our arrogant brother finally hit a wall he can't climb," Arnold said coldly.
Bobby nodded. "Maybe I'll actually have a chance in entertainment now that he's going down."
Lucy glanced at her brothers with thinly veiled disgust. 'And I thought I was harsh to Arthur. These two are something else.'
Apollonia ignored them completely, too consumed with worry to register their words.
---
In Wales Kingdom, Crown Prince Drakon observed the broadcast with detached interest. He'd met Arthur a few times—enough to respect his capabilities and worry about his growing influence.
Now the church was handling that problem for him.
"How can they do this?! Is there no justice in the world?"
Drakon sighed as his sister Princess Rika stormed into the room, fury written across her face.
"Why are you so upset?" Drakon asked tiredly.
Rika's face flushed. "I'm not upset! I just—I worked with Arthur on Titanic, okay? We talked. We shared ideas. So obviously I'm... concerned. As a colleague."
Drakon studied her for a long moment, then shook his head. "Right. As a colleague."
He returned his attention to the screen, ignoring his sister's protests.
The trial was about to begin.