Chapter 70: The Performance That Shook Onibas
Natsu, Gray, Droy, and Jet immediately gathered around after hearing Levy's excited comments. They finished reading quickly and stared at Dino Maxim in disbelief.
The story wasn't complicated—in fact, it was remarkably simple—but this simplicity made it captivating and unforgettable.
Almost anyone could memorize the dialogue after one reading, and it appealed to all ages. Without a doubt, this was a perfect work.
The client for this mission, the theater troupe's director, finally received the script and applauded enthusiastically. "Excellent! Excellent! What a magnificent work!"
Seeing the shocked expressions around him, Dino enjoyed the moment immensely. He coughed modestly and said, "Well… there wasn't much choice. With just a few people and no professional actors, I could only use these simple stories for our performance."
I never thought I'd become a storyteller like this, Dino thought to himself. These are all stories I heard countless times at the orphanage, so they left a deep impression on me. Maybe I should collaborate with Reedus when I get back and create some manga. We could make good money.
Lucy fidgeted with her hands, a light blush on her cheeks. "Um… Dino, could you possibly write another one?"
"Yeah, please!" the others chimed in.
Levy quickly used her Solid Script magic on Dino, creating a spell that could transform the words in his mind directly onto paper. Soon, another script materialized.
Levy, Lucy, and Erza immediately snatched it up to read: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"
"This is amazing!" Lucy and the others exclaimed. The story was simple yet captivating. After the three girls finished, it was Natsu and Happy's turn, and finally the troupe leader's.
"Is there more?" The three looked at Dino expectantly, their eyes sparkling like eager children waiting for dessert.
Dino scratched his head helplessly. "This is the last one! I need time to think carefully about new stories—rushing them would feel incomplete and cause problems later."
He produced one final script: "The Little Mermaid"
The three girls read it with tears streaming down their faces.
"The mermaid princess is so tragic!" Lucy wailed.
"Why can't people who love each other be together?! It's not fair!" Levy sobbed.
"This is too cruel! So sad… but so beautiful!" Erza wiped her eyes, trying to maintain composure.
While the three were absorbed in the story, Dino approached the troupe leader to discuss payment. After all, the original job was just adding some magical special effects.
But now I've written the entire script AND we're providing the actors, Dino reasoned. You're just providing the venue. The original mission fee isn't nearly enough.
In the end, Dino's persuasive negotiation secured an 80-20 split—80 percent for the performers and 20 percent for providing the venue.
Normally, the troupe leader would never accept such terms, but with no actors available and the theater's reputation at stake, he had little choice.
Additionally, Dino offered to sell the permanent rights to these three scripts and provide new material in the future.
The troupe leader was overjoyed. This meant he could continue using these scripts with other actors long after Fairy Tail's team left, ensuring the theater's revival.
When Dino returned, he found the three girls still emotional from the story.
He clapped his hands. "Alright! We'll use these three scripts. Droy's Plant Magic and Gray's Ice-Make Magic will handle scenery and props. Everyone else, familiarize yourselves with the scripts!"
"Let's start with Cinderella. Who wants to be the heroine?!"
"ME!!!" Levy, Lucy, and Erza's hands shot up simultaneously. They looked at each other, none willing to back down, competitive sparks flying between them.
Sweatdrop.
Dino sighed. "Come on, don't fight over it. There are three stories with three heroines. You can each choose one."
The three girls huddled together in heated discussion. They loved every character, making the choice nearly impossible.
Finally, they decided: Erza would play Cinderella, Lucy would be Snow White, and Levy would portray the Little Mermaid.
Once roles were confirmed, they began rehearsing while memorizing their lines. The scripts were simple enough that everyone could easily slip into character. The narration and music would be performed by Lyra, the Celestial Spirit Lucy could summon.
Jet, who had no role in the Cinderella script, distributed flyers throughout the city. With his High Speed magic, the task was effortless.
After only two days of rehearsal, they were ready to perform on the third day. Before the show began, the theater quickly filled to capacity.
The promotional flyers claimed that the most famous magical theater troupe from a foreign country would be performing—complete clickbait, but Dino knew from experience that casting a wide net would always attract the curious.
Soon, the performance began. Lyra played beautiful music and sang the narration, immediately drawing the audience in.
Then Erza appeared as Cinderella. Normally, Erza's acting skills were questionable at best, but once she connected with the protagonist's emotions, she proved that every woman is a natural actress. The plot unfolded scene by scene.
When Erza transformed from shabby rags into a gorgeous gown using her Requip magic, everyone in the theater gasped in amazement.
Then came the crystalline pumpkin carriage that Gray and Droy created together with their magic, dazzling the entire audience with its shimmering beauty.
As for the male lead, the Prince—Dino took that role himself. He danced with Erza under beautiful music with only a single spotlight shining from above.
Dancing together in front of so many people was an experience Erza had never had before. Her face flushed red, her heart raced, and her shy glances made every girl in the audience feel butterflies in their own stomachs.
When Dino took the exquisitely crafted glass slipper—made by Gray's Ice-Make magic—and began searching for Cinderella, every girl present wished she could be the one trying it on.
After everything ended, the theater fell completely silent.
Then—thunderous applause erupted! All the audience members rose to their feet, cheering continuously. The performance caused a sensation throughout Onibas City almost immediately.
More people wanting to see the show flooded in, and theater ticket prices began rising sharply. Tickets became nearly impossible to obtain, giving rise to scalpers outside the venue.
Through it all, Erza—as the protagonist—became incredibly popular throughout the city.