Chương 46: Bonus Story : Star Wars : Part 10 : The Greatest Power

The final credits rolled across the screen before fading to black. The theater lights came back on, revealing the tired faces of the audience. Applause broke out throughout the auditorium. Hesitant at first, it quickly spread until the entire theater joined in. Aldric remained seated, both hands resting on the armrests, his eyes fixed on the screen, now completely white. His notebook had been closed for quite some time, yet his thoughts were clearly still replaying the events he had just witnessed.

Emma picked up her coat before turning toward him.

"Ready to go?"

"Yes." The two of them stepped out of their row. Around them, fans were still exchanging theories about the films, laughing over certain scenes, or quoting their favorite lines. They eventually left the auditorium and returned to the cinema lobby. The bustle of the afternoon had completely faded. The long lines had given way to a handful of small groups quietly finishing their conversations before heading home, while the staff had already begun cleaning the hallways.

One employee pushed a floor scrubber while another emptied overflowing trash bins stuffed with popcorn buckets. The Star Wars posters were still glowing beneath their lights. As they stepped through the automatic doors, a cool night breeze greeted them. Darkness had long since settled over Paris. The streets, far quieter than they had been during the day, were illuminated by streetlights whose reflections shimmered across the still-damp sidewalks.

A few cars passed from time to time while small groups of moviegoers drifted away into the night. They began walking side by side with no particular destination, simply enjoying the quiet after spending several hours inside dark theaters. Only their footsteps echoed along the sidewalk as Emma watched Aldric. The hero gazed at the city's lights with the same thoughtful expression he had worn when leaving the theater. She eventually smiled.

After all, watching six films in a single day was already a memorable experience for anyone. For a knight from another world, it had to be even more overwhelming.

"So?" Aldric didn't answer immediately. His gaze rose toward the illuminated buildings, drifted to the cars crossing the boulevard, then lingered for a few moments on the last moviegoers still leaving the cinema, their arms full of souvenirs from the gift shop.

"Your civilization is fascinating." Emma's smile widened instantly. She thought she had finally succeeded. Throughout the marathon, Aldric had interpreted every detail through the customs of his own world. Advertisements had become quests, the cinema a fortress, popcorn military rations, and the gift shop a sanctuary filled with sacred relics. Seeing him so thoughtful after the final screening, she had finally begun to believe he understood that it had all been nothing more than a work of fiction.

"Fascinating... You have accomplished something I have never seen in any kingdom. Hundreds of people gather inside an enormous building, not to hear a king speak, attend a ceremony, or receive military orders, but simply to share the same story. They laugh together, worry together, fall silent together, and applaud together, despite being complete strangers. In my world, only great tournaments or royal ceremonies ever brought together so many people."

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. He looked up once more at the massive facade of the cinema.

"You have even built an entire building for the sole purpose of telling stories. It serves neither to govern, nor defend a city, nor conduct trade. Its only purpose is to allow complete strangers to experience the same story at the same moment. I find that idea remarkable. Your technology is equally astonishing. In my world, a chronicler had to captivate an audience using nothing but his voice and talent. Here, storytellers show the events themselves.

The landscapes, the cities, the armies, the battles everything unfolds before the audience as though they were witnessing it firsthand. Not even the greatest illusionists in my kingdom could have recreated such a spectacle for hundreds of people. And then there is the music. I had never imagined it could be used this way. It does not merely accompany the story. It guides the audience's emotions. It warns of danger before the characters themselves realize it.

It makes victories feel greater, defeats more painful, and sacrifices more noble. Your musicians fight alongside your storytellers without ever appearing before the audience." Emma let out a soft laugh.

"I'd never thought of it that way..."

"That's precisely what impresses me. Everything is carefully orchestrated so that hundreds of people experience the exact same emotions at the exact same moment. The images, the music, the lighting, even the silence... everything is designed to tell a story in the most effective way possible. You have elevated this art to a level I never believed possible." They walked a little farther.

"And the most extraordinary part of all... is that you use all this technology, these magnificent buildings, these artists, and these musicians to tell the greatest wars in your history."

"Aldric... you still don't get it." She laughed again.

"It isn't a historical war. It's fiction."

"So none of those events actually happened?"

"No."

"There were no Jedi?"

"None."

"No Galactic Empire?"

"None."

"No Darth Vader?" Emma shook her head.

"Not him either." A family walked past them discussing Obi-Wan's sacrifice. Two teenagers passionately debated whether Darth Vader was the greatest character in the saga. Farther down the sidewalk, a little boy chased his sister while waving a lightsaber as their father imitated Darth Vader's mechanical breathing, sending both children into fits of laughter.

"Extraordinary..."

"Then your storytellers are more dangerous than Demon Kings."

"Dangerous?"

"They can convince thousands of people that an imaginary war truly happened." They resumed walking. The cinema gradually disappeared behind them as the streets of Paris returned to their usual nighttime calm.

"Are there other chronicles like this?"

"Thousands. The Lord of the Rings... Harry Potter... Jurassic Park... Alien... Indiana Jones... Marvel..."

"I finally understand why your people never lack military experience. Your strategists have thousands of wars they can study without a single soldier having to die. Even imaginary conflicts allow them to observe sieges, battles, ambushes, alliances, and mistakes in command. It is a remarkable way to pass on experience."

"You'll always find a way to turn a movie into a strategy manual..." △ NEW SKILL UNLOCKED △ Analysis of Fictional Works: Level 1 New Ability You are now capable of recognizing a fictional story.

"I still can't bring myself to think of Star Wars as mere fiction..."