(3rd Person POV)
Days passed, and impatience began to stir among the nobles aboard the Titanic—especially Princess Rika. She and her entourage had expected an elegant voyage filled with filming, fame, and luxury. But the production hadn't started yet, and their excitement was quickly turning into frustration.
One evening, when Rika spotted Arthur dining with Firfel in the ship's grand dining hall, she marched straight toward him, heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. Her entourage followed, heads held high with entitlement.
"Princess Rika," Arthur greeted with a polite nod. Firfel raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Rika wasted no time. "Let me be clear, Mr. Pendragon," she said, her tone sharp. "I didn't come here to waste my time. My friends and I came to enjoy ourselves."
She folded her arms. "Why hasn't filming started yet? We're growing tired of waiting."
One of her companions chimed in, "Yeah! We've been on this ship for days, and nothing's happening!"
"It's been five days and not a single scene filmed!"
"You should be careful," another added with a sneer. "Delaying much longer might offend noble and royal families."
They all stood arrogantly, as if their words carried the weight of a decree. None of them seemed to care that they were speaking to one of the most influential and respected filmmakers alive.
Arthur and Firfel exchanged a glance. Firfel's eyes narrowed, and she looked ready to speak, but Arthur held up a hand to stop her.
He turned to the group with a calm smile. "Listen, children—this is a film production. And it's not as simple as snapping fingers and shouting 'action.' There are layers of preparation, logistics, and technical work to consider."
He gestured slightly with his hand. "Rushing it would ruin the entire project. And I refuse to let that happen."
Then he bowed slightly, his voice still patient. "So I ask for your understanding. Filmmaking isn't a game—it's an art. And art takes time."
Rika's face twitched in annoyance. "Don't call us children! We're not that young!" she snapped, pointing a finger at him. "And if you don't comply, I'll inform my brother. He'll shut this entire production down!"
Firfel clenched her fists, but paused when she caught the shift in Arthur's expression—his golden eyes had turned cold, piercing.
Rika and her friends sensed the change too. The temperature seemed to drop.
Arthur leaned back slightly, his tone now colder, calmer.
"I didn't beg you to be here," he said. "You were allowed onboard out of respect—for your titles. But don't mistake that for weakness."
He stood slowly, his presence towering without needing to raise his voice.
"This is my film set," he continued, his gaze sharp. "Here, I am the king. And here… I am the rules."
He pointed toward the door.
"You can either wait. Or leave."
The group fell silent. Rika opened her mouth, teeth clenched, but nothing came out at first.
"…Fine," she finally said, trying to save face. "I'll give you one more chance. Just start the filming soon—otherwise, I won't take this lightly."
Her tone was lofty, but the redness in her face betrayed her frustration. She turned abruptly and stormed off, her friends scrambling behind.
Once they were far enough away, Rika fumed. "That damn man! How dare he speak to me like that?!"
Her friends exchanged nervous glances but remained quiet. Even they had felt the pressure in Arthur's words—and none dared speak against him.
Meanwhile, Firfel let out a laugh as she watched Rika storm off in a flurry of indignation. She turned to Arthur with amusement dancing in her eyes. "I didn't expect you to be so harsh with those spoiled girls."
Arthur smirked and raised his glass. "Heh. She really thought name-dropping her brother would intimidate me? Not a chance."
Firfel took a sip of water, her expression growing a touch more serious. "But honestly, aren't you even a little concerned? Her brother is the Crown Prince of Wales. He'll likely be king one day. And Wales isn't just any nation—it's one of the strongest human powers aside from the U.S.E. Their military alone makes most think twice."
Arthur leaned back, relaxed. "I'm not too concerned. He may become a king someday…" He smiled faintly. "But I already am one."
Firfel blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He chuckled, knowing full well she didn't yet understand the weight of what he'd just said—that he had already ascended as a Divine King, the first step on the path of godhood.
Instead of explaining, he teased, "Come now, Firfel. You already know I'm a king."
She raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"
He leaned closer, his voice smooth. "I'm your king… and you're my queen."
Firfel's face flushed as she quickly swatted his arm. "Stop that! Don't go tossing romantic lines like you're in one of your scripts."
Arthur only laughed, clearly enjoying himself as he turned his attention fully on her, pretending to "direct" her reactions like a scene.
But before he could continue, Apollonia appeared, calling out to Firfel. The two women linked arms and walked off together, leaving Arthur behind at the table.
He watched them go, sipping his wine with a grin. "Tch. Always stealing my lead actress."
---
Two days later, just as Rika and her friends were beginning to grumble louder about the delays, something unusual stirred at Liberty Port.
Massive sheets of green fabric began unfurling from the tops of nearby buildings—stretching wide and tall like shimmering walls, gradually obscuring entire sections of the port from view. The same was happening across other key areas near the dock.
Crowds and media reporters gathering nearby stared in confusion.
"Wait, what's that green stuff?"
"It's covering the buildings…"
"Is Hellfire hiding the movie set now? Are they using green fabric to block off filming?"
None of them realized what they were actually witnessing—a revolutionary magical illusion system, far more advanced and efficient than even the best Hellfire VFX studio.
Dozens of ghostly assistants—floating, translucent figures—hovered in midair, helping the VFX crew fasten the massive 'Green Screens' to poles and platforms. Each sheet was a carefully enchanted item, imbued with layered runes and linked directly to the Hellfire Computer system.
Even the onboard actors and extras stared in curiosity as the setup continued.
Rika and her group stood with arms crossed, watching from a deck window.
"What is that green thing?" one of her friends asked.
"Looks like it's covering the entire set," another said.
Rika narrowed her eyes, muttering, "What kind of ridiculous trick is that demon up to now?"
Not far from them, Dane leaned against the railing, silently watching the sheets rise with growing interest.
Meanwhile, on the outer deck near the bow, Arthur stood with Firfel and Apollonia, gazing out at the distant green structures being raised into place.
"That's the Green Screen!" Apollonia said, her voice full of excitement. "Does that mean filming is about to begin?"
Firfel nodded, smiling. "It's starting soon."
Arthur turned slightly, surprised. "Wait… you know about the Green Screen?"
Apollonia chuckled and pointed at Firfel. "Of course. She explained everything. She even showed me how it works—how it can transform into any backdrop once the runes activate."
She added with a grin, "Each Green Screen panel has saved backgrounds that can be instantly projected. And with the Hellfire Computer, those images can be customized—block by block—down to individual pixels. It's incredibly detailed."
Arthur looked at Firfel, who only offered an innocent smile.
He nodded with a hint of pride. "That's right. Each square—what I call a 'pixel segment'—can be manually configured through the system. When all the segments align and project together, they create a hyper-realistic backdrop—almost impossible to distinguish from the real thing."
The three of them watched as the last few sheets were secured in place.
Filming was finally about to begin.