Twin Empresses: Why weren't the Leithanians attacking when they saw the Witch King? / The Witch King's bloodline that Ebenholz might awaken?

"Because of his demeanor, young man. We've all seen the Witch King; we know him all too well."

However, the Bloodborne Archon stepped forward before Theresis. He circled Ebenholz with interest, a hint of nostalgia for the costume flickering in his eyes, yet he seemed somewhat dissatisfied with Ebenholz as the actor playing the role, and said:

"Now I understand why Director Chen Qi invited us to give you some pointers. Although you're dressed as the Witch King, you don't have the Witch King's aura at all. If Director Chen Qi is going to make a movie about the Witch King, your performance will be extremely important."

"What's not the same?" Ebenholz was slightly unconvinced and turned to look at the Bloodborne Archon, but the Bloodborne Archon shook his head and said:

"Putting aside your aura, your presence, the way you speak, even your accent—it's all wrong. How can you possibly play the Witch King? You're too naive, a child with the Witch King's blood in your veins."

"You--"

Ebenholz Jian was startled by this, not expecting the Bloodborne Archon to see through his disguise at a glance. However, the Bloodborne Archon, whose habit of "being a know-it-all" was becoming increasingly serious, replied without hesitation:

"Don't be surprised, kid. From an actor's perspective, I only have one more year of experience than you, but in terms of life experience and knowledge, I have at least ten thousand years more than you."

"You have the blood of the Witch King within you, and even a portion of Witch King power, but you are ultimately not the Witch King. If you want to play him well, you must first understand him, then imitate him, and finally become him."

"As it happens, I've met the Witch King, and I quite admire him. He's similar to our Sarkaz in many ways. As an enemy, he's naturally terrifying, but from the perspective of a close friend, he's a good friend."

"Perhaps I can help you learn more about the character you're going to play, what kind of person he is, and do you have any books about the Witch King with you?"

"... Those are all forbidden books. In Leithania, any dissemination of knowledge related to the Witch King will be severely punished." Ebenholz didn't take the Bloodborne Archon's words about "becoming the Witch King" to heart. He didn't want to become the Witch King at all, and he only agreed to play the role of the Witch King with great reluctance.

The Bloodborne Archon was not surprised by this, and then muttered to himself:

"It seems... we need to make a call to the Twin Empresses — Chen Qi, friend of the Sarkaz, may we borrow your name to check our old friend's records?"

"... I'll have Talulah take you there." Chen Qi nodded, helplessly agreeing to the Bloodborne Archon's completely unreserved attitude. He felt that since acting in "Yes, Prime Minister," the Bloodborne Archon's desire to perform seemed to have been ignited, and he was now increasingly fond of instructing people.

As for the Witch King, the Bloodborne Archon was quite knowledgeable about him. Therefore, even in Leithania, where it seemed that no one knew the Witch King as well as Ebenholz, he immediately took on the task of protecting Theresis when he was originally just Theresis's protector.

However, this is not bad for Chen Qi. The Bloodborne Archon can indeed play a key role for Ebenholz, such as helping him understand the Witch King's life story, thus allowing him to better immerse himself in the role.

"Then, Theresis, the task of teaching the Ebenholz the bearing of a leader is entrusted to you."

"Don't worry, I estimate that in half a month, this child will have learned quite well." Theresis nodded, and seeing that the Bloodborne Archon had already taken the Ebenholz away, she quickly followed. Before leaving, she suddenly remembered something and said:

"By the way, Director Chen Qi, Wang Mei's condition has improved. As her older brother, I would like to thank you for your help."

"Also, Wang Mei asked me to pass on a message to you, I don't know if you'd like to hear it."

"What about Theresia?" Chen Qi blinked. He was certain that Theresis didn't know about his sister's resurrection, but it seemed that Theresia was slowly revealing her recovered side.

It seems that one day in the future, after Theresia is fully "recovered," the Sarkaz will be able to enjoy a situation of dual rule by two kings. In that case, the restoration of Kazdel will be just around the corner, which is also good news for Chen Qi.

Why would Theresia specifically ask Theresis to deliver a message at this time? Couldn't she just send it to him via phone? Why did she need to specifically let Theresis know?

"Yes." Theresis nodded, a long-absent smile appearing on his usually cold face, and said in a slightly more relaxed tone:

"Wang Mei said, ' The Sarkaz have nothing left to repay our great kindness with, except for our last national treasure. Director Chen Qi, please feel free to take it at any time.'"

"Director Chen Qi, I have conveyed Wang Mei's message. I'll take my leave now."

Having said that, Theresis immediately followed in the footsteps of the Bloodborne Archon, leaving Chen Qi standing there in a daze. After a long while, he realized that he seemed to have seen this move somewhere before...

This national treasure... it might not be the one he was thinking of, right? Chen Qi's dead childhood memories suddenly began to attack him. He immediately thought of the Kingdom of Women chapter of Journey to the West, and with this connection, Chen Qi seemed to understand Theresia's meaning...

"--Chen Qi?"

Just then, Talulah's familiar voice suddenly came from behind Chen Qi. Chen Qi subconsciously turned his head, immediately forgetting Theresia's words, and hurriedly asked:

"Talulah, what's wrong?"

"... Regarding the filming of 'The Witch King Is Back'."

Talulah noticed Chen Qi's strange expression but didn't say anything. Chen Qi simply handed him the planning document and asked, "Are you sure two photographers are enough? We're making a movie."

"Yes, although it's a movie, our subject matter is different this time. It's supposed to be a comedy, but we're going to shoot it like a documentary."

Back to work, Chen Qi promptly replied to Talulah's question, "We need to record the genuine reactions of the Leithania people, and the photographers must constantly switch between being invisible and visible."

"Teacher, I believe I can do it!"

Just then, Vina, who had been engrossed in a Great Yan Literacy Manual, stood up immediately upon hearing Chen Qi's words. Vina approached Chen Qi and pleaded:

"As the Crown Prince, I must listen to the voices of the people, even those of Leithania. Please grant me this opportunity to accompany you and let me gain some experience!"

"... Vina is indeed capable, Chen Qi. She's been helping the crew a lot lately, and FrostNova has already arranged several shooting sessions for her." Seeing Vina volunteer, Talulah also said to Chen Qi, "She's very familiar with the equipment; it'll be good to bring her along."

"Hmm... alright then." Chen Qi nodded, then suddenly remembered something and thought of someone else. He immediately spoke to Eureka, who was fiddling with her phone not far from the ship:

"Eureka! The job of the second photographer is yours! Is that alright?"

"Huh? Me, me?"

Eureka, who was originally playing games, never expected that Chen Qi would choose her. After joining the crew, she was nominally there to film behind-the-scenes footage, but in reality, she just ate for free when she had nothing to do. Now that Chen Qi wanted to use her, he must have his reasons.

Along the way, Chen Qi and his team will conduct completely authentic interviews, and Eureka's physical condition might allow them to encounter even more sensational topics and events, making it easier for them to edit the footage later.

Now, "The Witch King Is Back," a documentary filmed under the guise of comedy with the fewest crew members, is gradually getting on track. Chen Qi now only needs to wait for Ebenholz's "rebirth" to play the most important role of the Witch King, and then it can begin!

Chapter 247: The Twin Empresses: Why don't the Leithania attack the Witch King when they see him?

"Dr. Kal'tsit, you said... Director Chen Qi wants to make a movie related to the Witch King, is that really okay?"

Half a month passed quickly. During this time, Rhodes Island was providing medical care to the injured civilians every day. The rebellions of the Witch King's remnants were happening every day in Leithania, and the medical systems of many Mobile City were temporarily paralyzed. The arrival of Rhodes Island relieved the local urgent needs.

What Amiya is worried about now is Chen Qi's situation. She feels uneasy about the movie "The Witch King Is Back" that Chen Qi is preparing, especially when she thinks about Ebenholz dressing up as the Witch King and walking down the street. She is afraid that something might happen.

Now, Kal'tsit is also worried about the same thing. After some thought, she muttered to herself:

"During this time, Director Chen Qi specially invited Theresis and the Bloodborne Archon to borrow information about the Witch King from the Leithania Library, and has been teaching Ebenholz the essentials of playing the Witch King."

"The Twin Empresses did agree, but they've been secretly having the 'Empress's Voice' monitor their every move. Clearly, the Twin Empresses share the same concerns as us."

After thinking it over, Kal'tsit didn't think Chen Qi would collude with the remnants of the Witch King. Those organizations were not worthy of associating with Chen Qi. Given Chen Qi's identity Feranmut, it was unlikely that he would have any dealings with the Witch King. The Witch King had always been ruthless towards anyone who posed a threat to him.

Moreover, with just the "Empress's Voice," even if Rhodes Island were added, they couldn't stop Chen Qi from causing trouble if he really wanted to. After some consideration, Kal'tsit immediately said:

"Our mission is to assist Leithania by providing medical aid to the Mobile City in the hardest-hit areas. Most of the Mobile City Chen Qi and his team are heading to are areas where the remnants of the Witch King are quite active, and these are the places we need to assist first."

"Didn't Director Chen Qi say he might need a few extras at any time? Well then, let's follow Chen Qi and his crew on their ship, just to be prepared in advance in case the Witch King, played by Ebenholz, causes an even bigger riot."

"Yes! If that's the case, we can not only help Director Chen Qi, but also aid the wounded!" Amiya nodded emphatically, strongly supporting Kal'tsit's plan.

So, after Kal'tsit and Amiya made their decision, Rhodes Island began to follow Chen Qi's ships. However, before that, Chen Qi and his team needed to finish filming their first scene in the capital of Leithania before they could set off for the other Mobile City where the remnants of the Witch King were active.

Chen Qi deliberately chose a "scenic spot"—the place where the Witch King's body was displayed after he was defeated by the Twin Empresses and fell to his death from the tower. The location where Chen Qi and his group were was the very spot where the Witch King's body was displayed.

The platform that once held the Witch King's body has been demolished, leaving only a small park. Chen Qi and his team have arrived here to prepare for filming the first scene of "The Witch King Is Back."

Not far away, one could see Kreide dressed in rather cheap clothes, looking quite down on his luck, with even his hair a bit messy, but it couldn't hide his handsome face and gentle smile.

He was currently discussing something with some Leithania children. A camera was set up near him, and Kreide spoke to the children:

"Then, I'll have to trouble you guys to help me film this part. You guys can appear in the movie, you just need to focus on playing football."

"Yes, we'll do it!"

After receiving a few candies from Kreide, who claimed to be a film crew member, the three Leithania children immediately agreed to join the filming. Little did they know that the filming they were joining was not the movie Kreide was currently making; around them, there were many more unseen cameras filming a movie they could never have imagined.

During the filming, a ball suddenly veered off course and rolled into the small garden behind the children. The three children immediately went to retrieve the ball, but they immediately saw a tall figure with his back to them, wearing a rather tattered robe, slowly rising from the garden.

Who is this homeless man?

"Are you alright, sir?"

The three children looked at the figure with his back to them. Having not experienced that era, they didn't react to the figure at all; they just felt that the figure looked somewhat familiar.

But what they noticed first was the tattered robe and the black dust, as if it had been burned, and it also emitted a rather pungent and unpleasant smell. Their first thought was that this was a drunken homeless man who had slept in the garden the night before.

As the three children finished speaking, the figure turned around with a slightly unsteady gait... The three children quickly saw the burly figure slowly turn around, revealing clothes that they were all gradually becoming familiar with, and a forbidden face that seemed to have been shattered, with only half a mask covering it.

At that moment, the three children finally remembered where they had seen this person before. And the person turning around was none other than Ebenholz, who played the Witch King in the movie who had just traveled to the modern era and was completely unaware of the current situation.

However, even though Ebenholz only showed half of his face, his eyes were slightly blank, and his clothes looked disheveled, the moment he looked directly at the camera, everyone felt Ebenholz's transformation—at that moment, he seemed not to be playing the Witch King, but a real Witch King who had traveled through time!

It was a strange aura. Ebenholz's eyes were initially blank and unsettled, as if he was still immersed in the duel with the Twin Empresses just a second ago. But the moment he saw the children, his eyes showed a bit more peace of mind and regained some of his majesty.

Children are the future of a nation. As the former ruler of Leithania, the Witch King would naturally display such an expression and behavior when faced with children who pose no threat to him and represent the future of the country.

"It seems the training over the past two weeks has been quite effective."

Through the camera, Chen Qi, who was watching Ebenholz's performance on the ship, was also sitting with Theresis, the Bloodborne Archon, and others. Ebenholz's performance, their first official appearance on camera, perfectly captured the essence of the characters.

It's safe to say that even if the Witch King really did time travel like in the script, his reaction wouldn't be much different from the current Ebenholz.

"Of course, Director Chen Qi. We've put a lot of effort into training this child for quite some time so that he can capture the essence of the Witch King."

As the Bloodborne Archon drank the blood that had appeared out of nowhere from his cup, he nodded in approval of Ebenholz's performance and said softly, "To make him portray the Witch King's panic as he fell from the tower to his death, I fought with him, leaving him completely exhausted. He looks so pathetic; he's truly weak and powerless."

"Even so, the effect was still less than satisfactory. The time was simply too short, and he could only capture about 50% of the Witch King's essence."

"His blood resonates with that of the Witch King. When the Prime Minister and I tell him about the Witch King's deeds, he always learns very quickly. If we give him another half month, we can help him capture at least 70% of the Witch King's essence."

"Fifty percent is enough." At this moment, Theresis also shook her head and said very seriously, "Although the bloodline of the Witch King within him has been dormant, if that 'Voice of the Mundane' is truly activated, he might really become a vessel for the Witch King's avatar."

"Moreover, in the process of teaching him, the child was somewhat influenced by the bloodline... He adapted very quickly, and his portrayal of the Witch King's majesty is certainly sufficient for making a movie now."

Back at the filming location, Ebenholz asked the children a few questions, but in the end, the children didn't seem to really take Ebenholz for the Witch King. After all, everyone knew that the Witch King was dead, and the actions of the Witch King's remnants over the years had made the word "Witch King" increasingly known to the public.

Chen Qi was the first to bring the Witch King to the big screen, but Ebenholz was not the first to cosplay the Witch King. Long before Ebenholz, remnants of the Witch King or some simply power-hungry Leithania had done similar things. The news of the "Witch King's resurrection" has always been a hot topic on the Leithania internet.

However, anyone who dares to do this will be arrested immediately. At present, the city defense forces of Leithania are under strain, and most of them are busy suppressing riots. The sudden appearance of someone who seems to be cosplaying the Witch King will surprise the children, but they will not take it seriously.

Ebenholz, playing the Witch King, received no help from the children and had no choice but to walk towards the street. At that moment, Chen Qi immediately picked up the walkie-talkie and spoke to Vina and Eureka:

"You all follow Ebenholz immediately, this time remaining completely invisible, and film the real reactions of passersby!"

"Okay, teacher (director)!" x2

Vina and Eureka immediately grabbed their cameras and followed Ebenholz, filming him. Ebenholz was aware of this; still extremely weak after fighting the Bloodborne Archon, he barely managed to walk down the street, looking around at everything with a blank expression.

Slowly, he walked to the square. Everyone around him immediately looked at him with surprise, curiosity, and panic. Ebenholz himself was also a little worried that he might be attacked.

But soon, Ebenholz felt a tap on the shoulder. Just when Ebenholz thought he was about to be hit, he only saw a Leithania citizen suddenly put his arm around his shoulder, raise his phone, and press the shutter button under the bewildered gaze of Ebenholz.

This was as if a button had been flipped, and soon, one after another, the citizens of Leithania began to imitate the first person, taking selfies with the Ebenholz. Many others around were also taking pictures of the Ebenholz, intending to post them online to show off the strange events of the day.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Go to hell with the Witch King." After taking a photo, a middle-aged man warmly shook hands with Ebenholz and couldn't help but make that joke before leaving.

"Hello, Witch King!" Some young people found Ebenholz's behavior exceptionally cool, and even saluted Ebenholz... no, saluted the Witch King while taking selfies.

"What are you doing running back from hell? Planning to go back to the tower for revenge? Hahahaha!"

The people of Leithania were curious and teasing, but there was none of the anger and beatings that Ebenholz had imagined... This surprised Ebenholz, but he slowly began to think that what Chen Qi said might be right.

The expanding activities of the remnants of the Witch King, coupled with the declining lives of the people of Leithania, have subtly influenced and tacitly condoned behaviors that were considered absolutely taboo a decade ago... He is clearly not the first to do this, and the public seems to understand why he is doing it.

But for some reason, Ebenholz felt a strange fear... Leithania, once seen as a symbol of devils, hatred, and terror, seemed to be being accepted by the people?

What... what happened? Has the situation in Leithania gotten this bad?

Meanwhile, at the tower, a spy from the Empress's Voice knelt before the Twin Empresses, and the white-haired queen immediately asked:

"Chen Qi's filming is already underway, right? That Ebenholz should already be wandering the streets dressed as the Witch King."

"Yes, I came to report immediately upon seeing it," the spies from the Empress's Voice replied promptly, and the black-haired Empress's voice slowly followed:

"... So, did it trigger a riot? Did the city's garrison arrive immediately to stop it?"

"..."

However, the Black-Haired Queen's words left the spy who had witnessed the scene speechless. After an unknown amount of time, the spy swallowed hard and reported to the Twin Empresses:

"Your Majesty, I dare not conceal the truth... but there was no riot in the square; in fact... people were taking photos with the Witch King, and it seems there was no large-scale unrest."

"--What?" X2

However, as soon as the spy finished speaking, the Twin Empresses subconsciously asked a question in return. After a long silence, as the Twin Empresses looked at each other, they suddenly felt almost exactly the same feeling as the Ebenholz in the square.

They sensed that the Witch King, whom they had tried so hard to avoid mentioning for the past twenty years, had not been forgotten with the passage of time—in fact, it had the opposite effect; the more they forbade something, the more familiar people seemed to become with the forbidden existence!

At this moment, the Ebenholz's experience made the Twin Empresses realize a truth more directly: the Witch King is dead, but everything he left behind is not dead.

His name, like a ghost, has quietly lingered in the hearts of everyone in Leithania amidst its ever-worsening situation, reminding the people of Leithania of a name that once brought fear, but also a time of power and prestige...

Chapter 248: Could the Ebenholz Awaken the Witch King's Bloodline?

When the people of Leithania appeared before them, the Witch King, played by Ebenholz, did not riot as the Twin Empresses had predicted. In fact, the people did not reject the appearance of the "Witch King" but were quite interested... This was naturally not a good thing for the Twin Empresses and Leithania.

Twenty years have passed since the Witch King fell to his death from the tower. During these twenty years, under the policies of the Twin Empresses, propaganda has been continuously spread and the sacrifices made behind the Witch King's brutal rule have been exposed, so that the people of Leithania would know as much as possible how cruelly the "Witch King" they revered ruled them.