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Chapter 78: Rings Craze

Kyle had just flown in yesterday, curious to see how "Lord of the Rings" was performing in the Morningstar Kingdom.

His eyes were wide with disbelief as he blurted out, "It's incredible! Seven million in a day with only two thousand cinemas? And without even securing the major theaters? How in the name of all that's unholy did we pull that off?"

I couldn't help but smirk, glancing at Fart to field this one.

Fart nodded, slipping into explanation mode. "Well, even though we missed out on the major cinemas, the theaters we did secure are no slouches. Most have hundreds of seats, some even pushing two thousand. At two dollars a ticket, six screenings a day..." He paused, letting the math sink in. "We could theoretically hit 12 million or more if we packed every house."

Kyle nodded, still looking dazed. "I get the numbers, but... with all the media backlash? I thought we were toast."

"Didn't I tell you?" I chimed in, unable to resist. "Where there's sugar, there's ants. No matter how many people try to convince the ants it's salt, they'll figure out the truth eventually."

Fart and Kyle exchanged a look that screamed, "Here he goes again with the weird metaphors."

I chuckled, adding, "Besides, people love an underdog, right?"

Kyle snorted, a hint of worry in his eyes. "Yeah, but you're the underdog demons love to hate. Aren't you concerned?"

I just laughed, feeling more confident than ever. The game was far from over, but we'd just scored one hell of a point. Let them hate. As long as they were buying tickets, they could curse my name all they wanted.

Our conversation was interrupted when Lilith poked her head in. "Boss, there's someone here to see you."

"Oh? Who is it?" I asked, curiosity piqued.

"Says he's from the Horn Kingdom. Interested in distributing 'Lord of the Rings' there."

The Horn Kingdom. Now that was interesting. A small independent kingdom technically under Morningstar rule, but with its own government and economy. They'd been a thorn in my father's side for years, clinging stubbornly to their autonomy.

"Send him in," I said, straightening up.

A fiend demon in a sharp suit strode in, all business. "Jerry Yan, Righteous Film Studio. Pleasure to meet you, Arthur Morningstar."

I nodded, gesturing to a chair. "Likewise. Please, have a seat." I introduced Fart and Kyle as Jerry settled in.

"I'll cut to the chase," Jerry said. "We want 'Lord of the Rings' distribution rights for the Horn Kingdom."

***

(Apollonia Morningstar POV)

I pushed my breakfast around my plate, half-listening to Bobby's latest tirade. My dear brother was in rare form today, practically frothing at the mouth about Arthur's latest success.

But I couldn't care less about Bobby's bruised ego. My thoughts were on Arthur, the brother I'd worried about since his exile. I'd expected him to struggle, to fade into obscurity. Instead, he was turning the entertainment world on its head.

I'd just seen "Lord of the Rings," and I couldn't get it out of my mind. The story was captivating, but more than that, I found myself wondering about the world Arthur had created. Did rings of power like that really exist somewhere? And how in the world had my "weak" brother managed to wrangle all those orcs into his film? Not to mention that dragon...

As Bobby continued to rant, I tuned him out completely. Arthur had always been different, always been underestimated. But now? Now he was proving everyone wrong, and I couldn't have been prouder.

***

(3rd Person POV)

The "Lord of the Rings" first-day box office sent shockwaves through the public and media alike. Seven million dollars was no small feat, leaving those who had bought into the negative press stunned.

Word spread like wildfire through the Morningstar Kingdom. Contrary to the scathing reviews, "Lord of the Rings" wasn't just good - it was great. Viewers raved about the visuals, the story, and the overall quality of the film.

This grassroots praise catapulted the second-day earnings to a staggering 8.1 million dollars. In just 48 hours, "Lord of the Rings" had amassed 15.1 million dollars - a feat many had deemed impossible.

The ripples of this success spread far beyond the Morningstar Kingdom. Major countries like Empirica and Wales found themselves slack-jawed at the numbers. The elven kingdoms, whose entertainment industry stood toe-to-toe with humans, reacted with similar astonishment.

Even the Craft Kingdom, the dwarven realm second only to humans and elves in entertainment (but unrivaled in sculpting and architecture), took notice of the 15.1 million dollar earnings.

Despite the smear campaign by major outlets worldwide, news of the film's financial triumph contradicted their narrative. The global audience, initially dismissive of "Lord of the Rings," now burned with curiosity. What was this film that could defy such odds and capture the hearts of millions?

In the meantime, as "Lord of the Rings" fever swept through the Morningstar Kingdom, speculation began to spread like wildfire. In one high school cafeteria, a group of young demons huddled together, their voices low:

"Hey, guys," Oliver, a young wolf demon, leaned in conspiratorially. "Do you all believe in Teacher Envy? About those rings from 'Lord of the Rings' actually existing somewhere in our world?"

Kong, a monkey demon, and Croko, a scale demon, exchanged skeptical glances.

They remembered their history teacher's passionate ramblings about the film's connections to ancient artifacts.

Kong scratched his fur, scoffing. "Come on, Ollie. Envy was probably just trying to make his boring history lessons more interesting. You know how he gets."

Croko nodded vigorously. "Yeah, I mean, Sauron? A dark lord with a magic ring? That's straight out of a fiction."

But Oliver's eyes gleamed with excitement. "That's what I thought too, but check this out." He reached into his bag, pulling out a worn, leather-bound book. "I found this in the school library."

"What's that supposed to be?" Kong asked, eyeing the book suspiciously.

Oliver grinned, his tail wagging slightly. "This, my friends, is proof. It talks about ancient rings from the past, just as powerful as the ones in 'Lord of the Rings'!"

"Really?" Croko's scales bristled with interest.

"Really," Oliver nodded, his tail swishing excitedly. "It said that in ancient times, there were rings that could hold a ton of stuff inside them. And that's not all - they gave the wearer crazy magical powers and made them super strong!"

Croko and Kong leaned in, their skepticism melting away. They snatched the book, flipping through the pages eagerly. Oliver pointed out the passages, and sure enough, there they were - rings of unimaginable power.

As they pored over the ancient text, Kong suddenly jumped up, his fur standing on end. "Guys, I've got an idea."

"What kind of idea?" Croko asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kong grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. "An operation. We'll call it the Lord of the Rings Operation! We'll go on a hunt for these ancient artifacts. Just think - if we find them, we'll be so powerful we won't even need school anymore!"

"I'm in!" Oliver howled, barely containing his excitement.

It wasn't just high school demons getting caught up in the ring frenzy. Adults across the kingdom had started their own treasure hunts, seeking the powerful artifacts depicted in "Lord of the Rings."

Days slipped by, and what had started as a small spark of curiosity was slowly but surely growing into a wildfire. Newspapers began featuring stories of demons convinced that the rings from the film existed somewhere in their world.

In the royal castle, the Royal Information Minister approached the throne, a newspaper clutched in his trembling hand.

Luke Morningstar, King of the demon realm, fixed the minister with a cold stare as he accepted the paper.

"My king," the minister began, his voice quavering, "this 'Lord of the Rings' film is causing unrest in our kingdom. The mastermind behind all of this is none other than the former prince, Arthur. It must be intentional, a form of revenge for his exile."

Luke's eyes scanned the newspaper, his expression hardening. The headlines screamed of a new obsession sweeping the kingdom - demons young and old alike searching for magical rings. But it was the next part that made the king's blood run cold.

The article highlighted a crucial scene from the film where Boromir addressed Arthur's character, Aragorn, as "king." The article writer speculated that this was Arthur's way of announcing his intention to claim the throne in the future.

Luke leaned back, his mind reeling. Could it be possible? His useless son, the one he'd cast aside, now boldly declaring his ambition for the crown? The king's fingers tightened on the newspaper, crumpling its edges.