Chapter 252

[Appearance: The current appearance is that of a neatly dressed, middle-aged human male who favors wearing a tall top hat, with a somewhat weary face. This human refers to himself as the great playwright Wilde and is frequently seen around the backstage area of the Morning Star Theater Company.]

[Abilities: Soul Puppet, Fictional Will, Dramatic Realm]

[Cost: The user of this anomalous item must possess an unparalleled love for drama. When the user’s passion begins to wane, their soul will be replaced by the Sovereign of Drama, whose appearance will also undergo corresponding changes.]

[File: As the twelfth user and greatest user of the Sovereign of Drama, Master Wilde’s passion for drama never diminished, instead growing stronger with each tour as he witnessed the real world.

Tragically, even though his soul burned brightly, his weary and fragile body cooled down three years ago, accidentally triggering the replacement effect of the Sovereign of Drama.

After Master Wilde’s true soul departed, the “Sovereign of Drama” who took his place lacked both the artistic skill and could not find a new user with a passion greater than Wilde’s.

Thus, the “Sovereign of Drama” could only follow Wilde’s final wishes, striving to write the unfinished scripts and continue the world tours of the Morning Star Theater Company.

But with the decline in reputation of the new plays and the constant turnover of the theater troupe members, the “Sovereign of Drama,” who believed itself to be Master Wilde, found it increasingly difficult to accept these changes, finally reaching the brink of complete失控… ]

[Assessment: Great criminals and great artists share one common trait: they don’t like the world as it is. For art capable of changing the world, the one who creates it is the sole sovereign who can control it.]

[Taint Value: 16]

[Through your own observations and deductions, you have gained a wealth of information about the “Sovereign of Drama,” and the anomaly badge “Materialist Soul (Bright Red)” has been activated.

Due to understanding the rules and effects of the “Sovereign of Drama,” your resistance to it has greatly increased, allowing you to shield yourself from deeper influences.]

…

Turns out it’s an out-of-control anomalous item after losing its user… Man, its taint value is really high, enough to match twice the offal of a Black Goat. Looks like I’m in for some serious trouble this time.

Thanks to the resistance provided by [Materialism], I pulled off the transparent threads tied to my forehead, regaining my free will. Leo-Puppet-Rion stretched his limbs and immediately surveyed the incredibly realistic seaside town before him.

“Ankara…”

Seeing the sign at the pier reading “The City of Passion and Waves, Ankara,” Rion couldn’t help but furrow his brows slightly.

If I recall correctly, this is where the plot of “Twelve Days Together” takes place. Here, the male protagonist Elijah, taking a break, meets the plump and beautiful waitress Agatha at the tavern, sparking an unexpected romantic encounter.

So… am I now inside Master Wilde’s script? And have become one of its “actors”?

At this thought, Rion hesitated slightly and didn’t remove all the threads using the resistance granted by [Materialism]. Instead, he left some behind.

Senior Emma once told me that for these “Realm”-type anomalies, unless your Leon Value exceeds the user’s by more than double, breaking it purely through brute force is almost impossible with my current level; there’s no way I’d be able to escape.

According to Senior Emma, the only “solution” for this type of anomaly is to eliminate the user before they act. Otherwise, one must obediently follow the “rules” of their realm.

From the intel on the [Sovereign of Drama], the core rule of this realm must definitely be “drama.” Since I’m unfamiliar with “Twelve Days Together,” these threads might come in handy, so it’s best not to rip them all off too hastily.

Besides, after being turned into a puppet, my strength has been significantly weakened. I’ve lost contact with my puppy companion, and neither my sniper rifle nor other anomalies can be retrieved from the Mirror World. Though my Holy Spirit Pendant is still on me, its effects are heavily suppressed…

The good news is that the Sheep Heart still works.

Although the abilities of the [Sovereign of Drama] can affect the soul and bypass the protection of the Sheep Heart, since the specific effects belong to the “manipulation” category rather than “harmful,” it’s unlikely to cause trauma to the soul. My safety is somewhat guaranteed.

What I need to do next is to avoid triggering the suppression of the “dramatic rules” as much as possible, find the princess who was also dragged into this, ensure her and others’ safety, then figure out how to deal with the out-of-control [Sovereign of Drama] and clean up this sudden abnormal event… Huh?

Feeling a clear tug from the threads tied to my body, Rion quickly relaxed and followed the pull, walking along the road ahead.

Is the “plot” starting? Does it require my participation?

Glimpsing what he wore, Rion lowered his head slightly, guessing what was happening.

The padded heels on shiny leather shoes, tight pants adorned with small metal pieces, strange suits made of printed fabric in garishly bright colors, paired with tacky little accessories on the cuffs and collar, topped off with a waxed-up bright yellow pompadour hairstyle…

Honestly, this bizarre outfit looks less like a person and more like a mentally unstable peacock…

So in this dramatic world, my “character” is a clown? With an involuntary expression resembling “subway, old man, phone” creeping onto his face, Rion clicked his tongue in mild annoyance, then let the threads control him as he shuffled towards the tavern where the protagonists meet.

None of the content is wrong! One after another within 69 book bar!

Alright, clown or not, the most important thing right now is to go to where the “plot” happens and quickly find the princess to confirm her safety.

…

Soon, Rion’s character swaggered into the tavern where the “plot” began, sitting loudly at a table by the window.

Next, a voluptuous, charming female waitress with a nameplate hanging from her chest approached gracefully, smiling brightly and asking, “Mr. Joseph, what would you like to drink today?”

“…”

You’ve got to be kidding me!

Glancing at the nameplate on her chest… despite the changes in appearance and demeanor, Rion instantly recognized the waitress before him—without a doubt, she was the princess he was looking for.

And worse yet…

“Agatha…”

Muttering the name on her chestplate, Rion couldn’t help but roll his eyes in exasperation.

Good grief, just five minutes apart, and now I’m the flashy blond while you’re the lead actress of the whole play?

(End of Chapter)