Lord of Entertainment-Chapter 278: Announcement

(3rd Person POV)

Standing amidst the grandeur of the party, he let his gaze sweep across the room, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Happy birthday, Mr. Pendragon."

One after another, whether celebrities, high-ranking officials, or business moguls, they approached him, offering their congratulations.

Arthur nodded politely, responding with a simple, "Thank you."

Among the guests were King Magnus Nightstar and Queen Margaret of Horn Kingdom.

Their expressions were warm, their smiles perfectly rehearsed—but Arthur, through the Force, could sense their true emotions.

They didn't want to be here.

They didn't like him.

Neither did the influential nobles accompanying them.

But not everyone in the royal family shared their hostility.

The three princesses were a stark contrast to their parents.

The youngest princess was practically bouncing with excitement, eager to meet her favorite Hellfire stars, including Kurt, James, and other renowned entertainers.

The second princess, more composed, was enjoying herself in a graceful dance with her fiancé, the noble heir of Ebonclaws.

But Arthur's focus wasn't on them.

His gaze settled on Princess Marry.

She was his age, yet she carried an aura of authority that was different from her sisters.

Her raven-black hair cascaded like midnight, her starry eyes gleamed with intelligence, and her sky-blue dress gave her an almost celestial presence.

She had drawn the attention of many at the party, but Arthur wasn't interested in her beauty.

What intrigued him was her position.

Princess Marry was the current president of the Horn Kingdom Stock Exchange.

With the recent transition from Global Dollars to HKD, the HKSE had faced turbulence, reacting negatively at first.

Fortunately, the Horn economy remained strong, and the impact wasn't as severe as expected.

In fact, despite initial fears, HKD was proving surprisingly stable.

At the current exchange rate:

1 Global Dollar = 3 HKD.

The transition was still ongoing, and Arthur knew that Princess Marry played a key role in stabilizing the market.

And tonight, he planned to have a conversation with her.

"Happy birthday."

Arthur turned to the voice and found himself face to face with Prince Yasushi, the third prince of the Japonese Empire.

Arthur nodded with a smile. Yasushi's entourage—three samurai and a shinobi—stood close behind him.

"Prince Yasushi," Arthur greeted, raising his glass slightly.

They exchanged pleasantries before diving into talks about business and industry, catching up on recent developments.

Shortly after, he found himself in another conversation, this time with Genesis, now a rising football star in the Evros region and one of Wales' most promising players.

Arthur congratulated him on his success, exchanging a few words about the growing popularity of the sport.

After moving through a wave of conversations, Arthur finally found himself at the same table as Princess Marry.

She greeted him with a smile.

"It's an honor to be invited to the birthday party of the most famous and successful filmmaker, Arthur Pendragon."

Her voice was smooth, refined, and laced with calculated charm.

Arthur wasn't fooled.

The Force had already told him enough.

Princess Marry was far from just a royal figurehead.

The Horn Demon King may have lacked a son and heir, but he had been blessed with an intelligent first daughter.

Arthur responded with an amused smirk, lifting his glass slightly.

"Funny. Shouldn't I be the one honored?" He took a sip before adding, "After all, it's not every day that the First Princess of Horn Kingdom graces a simple filmmaker's birthday party."

Marry's lips curled into a knowing smile.

"I just had a feeling this would be a special occasion."

She swirled the wine in her glass, her eyes sharp as she studied him.

"After all, this is the first time you've thrown such a high-profile birthday party. It's never happened before. So I thought..." She tilted her head slightly. "Something special must be happening tonight. And I wouldn't want to miss it."

Arthur chuckled softly.

She was right.

Tonight, he would be announcing the establishment of the "Oscars," "Grammy," and "Golden Globe" awards—an inevitable next step in solidifying his influence in the entertainment industry.

He had already introduced colored films, television, telenovelas, manga, and comics. Now, it was time to introduce prestigious awards to further legitimize and standardize the industry.

Marry watched his expression carefully, raising a brow.

"Looks like I was right."

Arthur took another sip of his wine, smirking.

"As expected of the First Princess. Sharp as ever."

Marry chuckled, her gaze sweeping over the grand ballroom.

"Anyone could guess as much," she said lightly. "Especially with so many high-profile figures gathered in one place. And with the media covering every second of it..."

Arthur swirled the wine in his glass before finally getting to the point.

"Let's be blunt, then." His tone shifted slightly. "I invited you because you're the president of the HKSE."

Marry's brows rose slightly.

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Arthur leaned forward slightly, his voice calm but direct.

"And from what I hear, you're not exactly seeing eye to eye with your parents these days."

For a brief moment, Marry's expression didn't change.

But Arthur could feel it.

Beneath her poised demeanor, she was genuinely surprised that he knew about such a private conflict.

Arthur leaned back slightly, swirling his wine as he spoke. "Your parents are never satisfied with your achievements, despite all you've done. And you—you're unsatisfied because no matter what you accomplish, you can never take the throne."

He shook his head, as if disappointed. "Simply because you are not a man."

Marry's expression darkened, her usual confidence momentarily faltering.

Then, to her surprise, Arthur's tone shifted. "However, I can help bring you closer to your dream—with my help."

Her eyes flashed with intrigue. "What do you want?"

Arthur didn't answer her directly. Instead, he smiled. "I've been thinking. The current stock exchange trading system is... outdated."

Marry frowned at that. "It functions well enough. The system has worked for years, Arthur. I would know—I run it."

Arthur smirked, his voice smooth, almost conspiratorial. "Does it, though? From what I see, it's slow. Transactions rely on telephones, and the market boards rely on delayed television updates. There's always lag. Information is never truly real-time."

Marry crossed her arms, clearly skeptical. "That's just how stock trading works. The dwarves built the current system, and it's the best we have."

Arthur chuckled softly. "Not for long."

He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice just enough to sound like a whisper from the devil himself. "I can introduce a better system. Faster, more efficient. No delays. No lag. True real-time trading."

Marry arched a brow. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that?"

"With computers and the internet, it's definitely possible," Arthur said with a knowing smile.

Marry's eyes flickered at the mention of the internet.

The word still sounded fresh, unfamiliar to many, but she knew what it meant—it was the system that connected computers, the backbone of Hellfire Web.

If Arthur was seriously proposing to integrate it into the stock exchange...

The Horn Kingdom Stock Exchange could become the most advanced trading hub in the world.

Arthur leaned back, his voice smooth and confident.

"With a system like this, the HKSE won't just be adapting—it'll be ahead of every other kingdom's stock exchange. While they struggle with delays and outdated methods, Horn will be operating at speeds they can't even dream of. Investors will flock to it, making it the leading exchange in the world."

Marry's fingers tightened slightly around her wine glass.

She had always wanted to elevate the HKSE, to make it stand out beyond just being Horn Kingdom's financial center.

And now, Arthur was handing her a blueprint to revolutionize it.

Her expression became serious. "What's the catch?"

Arthur chuckled, reaching into his coat pocket.

He pulled out a thin parchment, a scroll laced with faint magical runes, and slid it across the table.

A magical contract.

"Just some formalities," he said casually. "This ensures that what I bring to the HKSE remains exclusive—to Horn, to us. No outside interference."

Marry glanced at him, then at the contract.

She took it without a word, concealing it within her sleeve.

Then, with a graceful nod, she rose from her seat and left the table, disappearing into the crowd.

Arthur smiled to himself, swirling his wine.

One more move on the board.

He rose from his seat with a satisfied smile.

Tonight had been a success.

With that good mood, he turned to address the grand hall, raising his glass.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement."

The room fell into silence, all eyes turning to him.

"Tonight marks the beginning of something new in the entertainment industry. I am officially establishing three awards to recognize and honor the greatest talents in film, television, and music."

A murmur spread through the crowd as Arthur continued.

"The Oscars will celebrate excellence in filmmaking—actors, directors, writers, and visionaries who bring stories to life. The Grammy Awards will honor those who shape the world through music. And the Golden Globes will acknowledge the best in television and telenovelas, the rising force of modern entertainment."

A ripple of excitement and surprise moved through the audience.

The media captured every word, broadcasting it live to millions of viewers.

Some people were shocked, others were skeptical, but one thing was undeniable—Arthur Pendragon had reshaped the entertainment industry.

For years, he had built the foundation—colored films, televisions, telenovelas, manga, comics.

Now, he was setting the gold standard for recognition.

Yet, just as the audience was absorbing this revelation, Arthur added one last surprise.

"And to all my esteemed guests tonight, you will be the first to witness the premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King—weeks ahead of its global release."

The room erupted.

Gasps. Murmurs. Excited chatter.

The media went wild.

Meanwhile, millions of TV viewers—watching the live broadcast—stared in disbelief.

"What the hell?! Didn't The Two Towers just screen two months ago? How the hell did he finish another one already?!"

Across the Horn Kingdom and beyond, people couldn't believe what they were hearing.

Had Arthur somehow filmed, edited, and completed an entire sequel in record time?

The speculation only grew.

But soon, the world would realize—Arthur hadn't just made one movie at a time.

He had filmed two Lord of the Rings sequels simultaneously.