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Chapter 77: LOTR Box Office Success

A group of demon workers who knew one another paused in front of the large poster, whispering quietly among themselves.

"Isn't this the film that won all those awards at the elf festival?" stocky demon asked, squinting at the image.

A demon with horns that curled like ram's nodded. "Yeah, it's that exiled prince's second film. Causing quite a stir, from what I hear."

An imp, clutching a newspaper, sneered as he approached his colleagues. "Load of rubbish, if you ask me. Says right here in the Demons Daily that it's a steaming pile of dragon dung." He tapped the paper for emphasis.

One of his coworkers shrugged. "Why don't we get tickets? I'm curious about this award-winning film, rigged or not."

The imp hesitated, then glanced at the screening date on the poster.

"February 22, 1272," he read aloud. After a moment's consideration, he shrugged. "Ah, why not? Can't deny I'm a bit curious myself."

As they moved on, more passersby stopped to gawk at the poster. The buzz around "Lord of the Rings" was impossible to ignore. While some demon newspapers praised it for bringing glory to their entertainment industry, the major outlets were tearing it to shreds.

Yet, despite the negative press – or perhaps because of it – demons couldn't stop talking about the film. They might claim to believe the bad reviews, but there was an undercurrent of curiosity that even the harshest criticism couldn't quash.

Days slipped by, and February 22nd crept closer. The major media outlets patted themselves on the back, convinced their smear campaign against "Lord of the Rings" was working its dark magic. Everywhere you turned, demons were muttering about how awful the film was bound to be.

Titan Pictures, having joined forces with the demon media moguls to boycott "Lord of the Rings," were practically purring with satisfaction. Their poison even spread through the Evros Continent like wildfire.

The headlines grew more outlandish by the day:

"Lord of the Rings: A Testament to Stupidity, Starring Unintelligent Orcs"

"Exclusive: Caedan Aegis Confronts Ex-Prince Arthur, Calls Film 'An Abomination'"

The last one came complete with a photo of Caedan and Arthur from the Moonlight Film Festival - the very moment when Caedan had actually praised the film. But the article twisted the context entirely, claiming Caedan's animated expression was one of disgust rather than admiration. It was a blatant misrepresentation, but people eager for scandal ate it up without question.

As the release date loomed, more and more demons in the Morningstar Kingdom bought into the hype. "Can't wait to see the ex-prince fall on his face," became a common refrain. After the unexpected success of "The Demonfather," many were eager to see Arthur brought low.

Speculation ran rampant, insults flew freely, and then... the moment of truth arrived. February 22, 1272 dawned, bright and full of possibility.

Across the kingdom, 2,100 theaters threw open their doors, ready to screen "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring."

It wasn't the wide release Arthur had dreamed of - the major studios had flexed their muscles, strong-arming key cinemas into rejecting the film.

***

At the Ferland Grand Theatre, owned by Rocky himself, was buzzing with activity. A sea of demons stretched around the block, all eager to catch "Lord of the Rings." The sheer number of attendees caught many off guard.

A fiend demon named Jimmy scratched his horns, bewildered. "I thought this film was supposed to be trash. What's with the crowd?"

His demoness girlfriend, Lola, shrugged. "Morbid curiosity, maybe? Everyone wants to see just how bad it is."

"Huh," Jimmy mused. "Guess a lot of folks are itching to watch that exiled prince crash and burn."

Lola snorted. "You said it. Demons will pay good money to see that weakling fall flat on his face."

After what felt like an eternity, they finally settled into their seats. The theater hummed with anticipation as the lights dimmed.

From the moment the film began, expectations were shattered. The scaling resolution alone drew gasps of awe, but it was the world and story that truly captivated the audience.

As the credits rolled, the theater erupted with chatter.

"I can't believe they killed off Boromir just like that," a demon with bat-like wings lamented.

His friend scoffed. "He had it coming. Aragorn's the real deal – now that's a king I could get behind."

"But what about that dragon at the end?" a young demoness chimed in. "I need to know what happens next!"

As they filed out of the theater, the conversation continued to buzz around them. Gone was the anticipation of witnessing a disaster. Instead, demons found themselves dissecting characters, debating plot points, and speculating about sequels.

Jimmy turned to Lola, a look of shock still on his face. "Did we just... enjoy that?"

Lola nodded, equally surprised. "I think we did. Huh. Who would've thought?"

As the first day of screenings came to a close, it was clear that something unexpected had happened.

***

The next morning, Ashen Gray sat in his plush office at Demon Pictures, basking in the glow of yesterday's box office numbers. Their latest film, strategically released to compete with "Lord of the Rings," had pulled in a respectable 600 thousand dollars. Sure, taxes would take a bite, but Ashen wasn't worried.

He allowed himself a smug smile. The major studios' decision to boycott "Lord of the Rings" and block its access to key cinemas seemed to be paying off. His film was enjoying a cushy run in 4,210 theaters across the kingdom.

Just as he was about to pour himself a celebratory glass of whiskey, his secretary burst through the door like she had hellhounds on her tail.

Ashen's brow furrowed. "Whitney, for hell's sake! Have you forgotten how to knock?"

"I'm sorry, sir!" Whitney gasped, bowing quickly. "But you need to see this. Now." She slapped a newspaper on his desk with trembling hands.

Ashen raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. "What's got you so worked up?" He picked up the paper, noting the masthead: Primal Times, that annoyingly unbiased media from Horn Kingdom.

His eyes skimmed the headline, then froze. He read it again, certain he must be mistaken. But there it was, in bold black letters: "Lord of the Rings Box Office Smashes Records: 7 Million Dollars in One Day!"

Ashen felt the blood drain from his face. "Seven... seven million?" he stammered, his usual composure shattered.

Whitney nodded grimly.

"But... but that's impossible!" Ashen sputtered, his mind racing. "How could they pull those numbers with only two thousand theaters? It must be a mistake. Or a lie."

Even as the words left his mouth, he knew it was wishful thinking. Primal Times had a sterling reputation for accuracy. They wouldn't risk it on a false story.

Ashen slumped in his chair, the implications hitting him like a ton of bricks. They'd underestimated Arthur Morningstar. Again.

***

(Arthur POV)

I leaned back in my chair, eyes fixed on the computer research spread across my desk. We were close, I could feel it. The first prototype was just within reach.

If we could get our first prototype computer working, maybe we could showcase it at the Electronics Expo in Empirica's Apple City. It was still a few months out - plenty of time to sign up and secure a booth. The possibilities made my head spin.

But as exciting as the future was, the present demanded my attention. I turned to the box office numbers from our film's opening day. When I saw the figure - 7 million dollars - I swear I could hear my team's jaws hit the floor.

"Seven million..." I muttered, a mix of pride and anxiety swirling in my gut. Sure, I was thrilled that the box office was being reported transparently, even on day one. But a part of me couldn't help wishing it wasn't tracked so meticulously. Made it a hell of a lot harder to fudge the numbers come tax time.

I shook my head, pushing away the thought.

Maybe there was a way to... optimize our tax situation. After all, those millionaires and billionaires from my past life had it down to an art form. Surely some of those tricks could work here too.