Lord of Entertainment-Chapter 281: Netizens

(3rd Person POV)

The Moonlight Kingdom was set to become one of the first countries outside Anatolia to distribute computers, with a major retail company securing exclusive rights to sell them—Birth Retail Corporation.

At the helm of the company was Afer James, an elf who, despite his 110 years of age, still looked no older than 30.

Sitting in his luxurious office, Afer gazed out the window, deep in thought.

He had been anticipating the arrival of the computers, fully convinced of their potential. But not everyone in his company shared his vision.

In the boardroom, dissenting voices echoed.

"Are we really going through with this? Distributing such an expensive product?" One executive scoffed. "Four hundred dollars is too much. Who in their right mind would spend that on a single device?"

Another chimed in, crossing his arms. "Hmph. Maybe the middle class can afford it, but do you really think they'll waste their money on a device?"

Afer remained silent, his sharp eyes scanning the room.

He wasn't naïve.

He knew exactly why these executives and directors were resisting—they had been bribed by the monopolizing companies whose industries would be threatened by the computers.

Still, their skepticism was misplaced.

Afer had analyzed the numbers.

He had seen the sales reports from Anatolia, particularly in Horn Kingdom, where computers had already sold in the hundreds of thousands.

And that was just one market.

Even with resistance from some of his own board members, he wasn't about to back down.

If anything, he felt fortunate—fortunate that the other major retail companies in Moonlight Kingdom had backed out due to pressure from the elite.

Their fear of offending powerful figures had left Birth Retail Corporation with full control over the computer distribution.

And Afer?

He wasn't afraid of stepping on a few toes if it meant massive profits.

---

Meanwhile, back in Horn Kingdom, the vast Hellfire warehouse was finally preparing to ship out its first batch of computers to foreign markets.

A significant portion of the stock was now set to be transported to Moonlight Kingdom.

Arthur, overseeing the logistics, considered his options.

He wanted to use the portal system he had secretly established between Horn and Moonlight, as it would allow instant transportation.

However, there was a problem.

Portal transportation, while not entirely unheard of, was ancient magic—a luxury reserved for the highest-ranking figures in society.

If computers suddenly appeared en masse in Moonlight Kingdom without passing through customs, it would raise too many questions.

The retail company, customs officials, and rival businesses might become suspicious.

For now, Arthur knew he needed to build stronger connections within Moonlight Kingdom's leadership and regulatory bodies.

If he could secure the right allies, he could make portal transportation viable—and completely revolutionize supply chains in the process.

Arthur had to tread carefully.

For years, his computers had sat in storage, waiting for the moment when the suppression from powerful industries and governments would finally break.

He had invested millions into their manufacture and development, betting on the inevitable shift toward digital technology.

And now, other regions were finally opening their doors to the product.

This was his one chance—and he could not afford a single mistake.

Using portals to transport the computers risked exposing the true extent of his technological capabilities—and that was not part of the plan.

The computers had to be seen as an organic success—a necessity, not a mysterious anomaly.

Arthur wasn't just selling a device.

He was crafting a narrative—one that would make computers a "must-have" product across the world.

And that could not be rushed.

---

June 7, 1275—Moonlight Kingdom.

The first shipment of computers arrived, a batch of tens of thousands.

Birth Retail Corporation had ordered in bulk, and Hellfire Electronics had already made a profit before a single unit had even sold.

But Arthur knew that sales numbers weren't the only thing that mattered.

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Perception did.

The retail company had been heavily advertising the computers in the days leading up to the launch, so many elves in the Moonlight Kingdom were already aware of the device.

Public reaction was mixed.

At a bustling retail store, a pair of elves—a husband and wife—stood in front of a sleek display of computers, eyeing them curiously.

The wife pointed at one. "Is this the device from the commercials? The one that can do several tasks at once?"

The husband nodded, arms crossed as he examined the sleek metal casing. "Seems like it."

She tapped her chin, thinking. "They even said on the billboards that this is why Horn Kingdom's economy is booming. Do you think that's true?"

Her husband shrugged. "Only one way to find out." He looked at her with a grin. "How about we buy one and see for ourselves?"

She hesitated for a moment—then nodded in agreement.

And they weren't the only ones.

Similar conversations unfolded in retail stores across the kingdom.

At first, sales were slow—but curiosity was a powerful thing.

By the end of the first day, 3,872 units had been sold.

Not a massive number.

But it was a start.

And more importantly, it wasn't just individuals buying them out of curiosity.

Small companies had also taken notice.

Many business owners had seen the advertisements detailing the computer's capabilities and were willing to take a financial risk to test the device.

Most only bought in small batches—one or two units per business—but it was enough to begin spreading awareness.

Then there were families purchasing for personal use—and a key incentive helped push them over the edge.

For first-time buyers, there was a promotional offer:

"One month of free connection to the Internet."

The wording was unfamiliar to most customers, but the concept was simple.

The internet allowed long-distance communication between computers—far more convenient than telephone calls or expensive magical communication scrolls.

Initially, most customers assumed that this was all the internet could do.

A cheaper alternative to long-distance calls.

But soon—they discovered it was much more than that.

As they explored the system, they stumbled upon something unexpected.

Hellfire Browser.

Through it, they found real-time news updates from Hellfire News and Forbes.

Then, there was Hellbook—a place where they could write posts and see what others were saying.

Discussions on Hellbook were as diverse as they were engaging.

People talked about everything—movies like The Return of the King, personal stories, daily experiences, entertainment, politics, and even conspiracy theories.

But what truly stunned the citizens of the Moonlight Kingdom was one simple fact.

Most of these posts weren't from their own kingdom.

They were from Horn Kingdom.

The new computer users were still getting accustomed to the internet and its vast potential—but already, hundreds of them were becoming fascinated by what they saw.

One such individual was a young noblewoman—Elsa Liriel.

Sitting at her ornate desk, she leaned forward, eyes fixed on the glowing screen, a look of pure wonder on her face.

She scrolled through Hellbook, scanning posts from Horn Kingdom's "netizens."

{Hahaha! I can't believe it! A football player just punched a referee!}

{A new trick to collect more Hellfire tickets at Hell'a Fun! Read below!}

{My theories on The Return of the King—what if Aragorn actually loses? Hear me out...}

Elsa's lips parted slightly as she absorbed the flood of opinions, jokes, and heated debates.

She had never expected to find herself so immersed in the lives of complete strangers.

"Incredible..." she murmured, eyes still glued to the screen.

"Who would have thought I could see into the minds of so many people—so many different thoughts, from different places—all from a single device?"

There was awe in her voice.

She had heard about the computer before.

But this? This was something else entirely.