Time quickly passed by, and finally, it was the third day of the Festival. Everything was looking vibrant, with numerous people coming and going.
Unlike on the first and second days, there were far more tourists visiting the territory. There were even some bards and other merchants trying to sell their goods.
It was due to word spreading among the masses, some on the second day who had witnessed the play, as well as those who had eaten the food served in the territory, quickly telling their families.
Thus, the streets were packed, and even the stall owners had problems keeping up with the orders due to how many people were buying.
Kale, who manned the fried chicken stand, was bombarded with numerous customers. Even he had trouble trying to keep up with the orders. "Here you go!" He placed one order after another.
It was the same for other vendors as well; even the item vendors were greatly bombarded.
Meanwhile, Stephen was writing on a sheet of paper. He had focused on the food for a while, but he hadn't paid attention to the clothing line. Since there were machines that could easily make clothes, he hadn't even set out their full potential.
Thus, Stephen was coming up with plans to create a new product for women. This might be the medieval world, but the people here were incredibly modest. Showcasing any skin was viewed as scandalous.
Even Stephen thought that those comics he read about medieval times, where women wore those overly revealing outfits, were very biased based on the creator's imagination, since the real world did not apply to those.
Many women and men in this time would use braies, which were loose-fitting, knee-length underpants made from linen or wool.
Stephen wanted to incorporate those, but he had to wait since he had given everyone a three-day break.
---
Meanwhile, the night quickly shifted.
Everyone was standing beneath the stage, some sitting, while some stood due to the lack of seats. There were also people eating popcorn on the side while waiting for the show to begin.
Omer, Gabriel, Medard, and Tobie were the first to perform. As they entered the stage, screams could be heard from the crowd.
The four of them glanced over the hundreds of people shouting.
The numbers had increased after their first performance. The four smiled and waved to their fans, smiling and even doing some fan interactions.
"Wahhhh! I love you, Medard!"
"Tobie, look at me!"
Vanessa was also in the crowd, smushed by the wave of young ladies. Many continued to scream, some even pushing one another to get a better view.
Vanessa, who didn't know what was happening, couldn't even breathe from the onslaught.
Luckily, she was pulled by her trusted bodyguard, Vincent, before it was too late. "They're like a bunch of goblins!" Vincent commented, seeing the ongoing brawl of the women.
"Yeah..." Vanessa replied as she stood on the side with Vincent. He stared at the men on the stage; he could say that the four were good-looking, even for commoners.
"Everyone! Please calm down; we will start the show in a few minutes," Omer said, winking at the women, some of whom even fainted.
"For tonight, we will perform two songs!" Medard said, followed by Tobie. "We hope that everyone enjoys the show!"
The drum immediately started. The beat was created.
Even Vanessa was pulled into the rhythm. The women began to squeal, and there were even some men joining the rave.
---
"Woahhhhh!" The crowd erupted into cheers as the group of four finished their performance.
Even Vanessa couldn't help but snap out of her thoughts. She hadn't even noticed that the show was finished. It was all too shocking for her, especially since she hadn't known that such a beautiful song could be sung.
Inside her head, those times at the opera became nothing once she had heard the captivating music. "Woah." She covered her mouth. Even Vincent was also shocked by the performance.
"Thank you, everyone!" Tobie shouted aloud, waving his hand.
"We hope you enjoyed the show!" Gabriel stated, blowing a kiss to his fans.
The four had once again put on a spectacular show. Afterwards, Emeric stood on the stage, announcing that the next event would be a play.
Although it was already past seven, no one cared, as they would wait for the play. Some took a bathroom break, some purchased food, and others waited for the play to start.
After a few minutes, the stage was set, and the play began.
A heart-wrenching love story, where two people fell deeply in love but were separated due to circumstances. It was none other than the film: "The Notepad." That Stephen incorporated as a play.
(A/n: Don't want to get sued buds)
---
The play was tragic and heart-wrenching, bringing many to tears. Even the men couldn't help but cry.
In the end, an elderly couple faces the challenges of aging and illness. The wife, suffering from Alzheimer's disease, has forgotten much of her past, including her once-deep love for her husband.
In an effort to reconnect, the husband reads their love story from a notebook he has kept over the years, hoping to jog her memory.
As he reads, the wife begins to remember their love, and they share a tender, emotional reunion. They spend one last night together, rekindling the connection they once had. The next morning, the wife passes away peacefully in her sleep, smiling as if content and at peace.
The film ends with the husband, devastated but comforted, sitting by her side, holding her hand. In the final moments, it is revealed that the couple passed away on the same day, reunited in death, symbolizing their eternal love.
Emeric clapped his hands on stage, signaling that the show had ended. Everyone snapped out of their cries, some still wiping their tears. Even Emeric's handkerchief was soaked due to his tears.
The actors, who had also portrayed last night's performance, bowed their heads. Once again, the crowd erupted into cheer.
The show had ended, but the two performances were deeply engraved in their minds. One of them, a young girl holding her teddy bear, beamed in delight.
Everyone began to disperse, entering their homes. The Tiboatnic, with its tragic ending, as well as The Notepad, with its heartfelt ending, stuck in their minds.
As Vanessa boarded her carriage, she couldn't help but wonder how such love persisted even against numerous storms.
Meanwhile, Clifford rested in the inn. His head still wondering as well. "The play was too good!" He sat up; he couldn't sleep at all. The thoughts wandered inside his head, as well as his "what if's."
It wasn't just him; it was everyone in the city, as well as the tourists. Their heads were racing with "what if's."
---
As the festival ended, the stalls had also disappeared. Stephen woke up early in the morning. He glanced at the servants, whose eyes were all swollen and puffy.
'Did they cry all night?' he wondered. Some of the servants also had dark circles under their eyes. 'Did they also not get any sleep?'
Even his mother, Veronica, had puffy eyes. "It seems like you enjoyed the play last night, Mother," Stephen said, as they both ate breakfast.
"Yes, I did," Veronica curtly replied.
After breakfast, Stephen went to the office as usual. Emeric and Tristan also had the same expressions plastered on their faces. He didn't need to ask; he could already deduce what had happened. Now he wondered if everyone in the territory had swollen eyes.
"Pfft..." Stephen let out a chuckle. "Seems like you both enjoyed the play," he said.
"We did, my lord," Emeric replied. "May I ask, my lord, have you written the stories of Tiboatnic and The Notepad?"
Stephen tapped his fingers on the table and smiled. "What do you think?" It wasn't a straight answer, but it could be interpreted in both ways—he had written the plays, or he had not.
He let their thoughts spiral, what use was there in over-explaining?
'Is everyone in the city currently walking around with their faces swollen?'
What he had thought was correct; everyone in town was currently walking around with puffy eyes and dark circles. Even the children had the same expressions on their faces as if they had faced a dangerous foe.
No one in the streets judged the others. Instead, they would nod their heads in understanding.
Even the people from other territories had the same puffy faces. Some of the people in their territories grew concerned, thinking it might be an epidemic. Many of them were even taken to the doctors due to how swollen their faces were.
Although the city had acquired numerous tourists, some became worried due to the swollen faces of the people when they came home.
Some even thought that the guards had beaten their faces to a pulp.
Unbeknownst to Stephen, this day was called the Swollen Face Disease, which would be recorded in their territory's history for decades.