Chapter 26: [ Prince ] Takes The Stage ?

After the call ended, Sophia gave Chronos a big thumbs-up.

Her face gleaming with pride at how her little brother handled himself against the seasoned Princess.

Looking down at the square through the panoramic glass window of the restaurant, they could see that the crowd was quickly gathering in front of the stage.

Chronos let out a conniving smile and said,

"Let's go and solve your problem!"

Sophia's eyes lit up with excitement as she asked,

"Wait, what's your plan?"

"Follow my lead,"

Chronos said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Your main goal is to aggravate and provoke a response out of whoever's running the press conference when the time comes."

The two siblings quickly put on face masks and rushed out of the restaurant, with the Royal Vanguards shadowing them at a distance.

The Royal Vanguard leader put a finger on his ear and commanded,

"The Dragon and Phoenix have left the protective parameter. I sense trouble brewing, deploy squadrons 3 and 6 as back-up, snipers lock on to them. Ground team, scan the surroundings for potential threats but stay hidden."

As Chronos and Sophia pushed through the crowd, the excitement and anticipation around them grew thicker by the second.

The hum of chatter and the clicks of drone cameras blended into a chaotic symphony.

The atmosphere was palpable as people of all shapes, sizes, and colors buzzed excitedly amongst themselves.

Cosplayers of all ages and backgrounds were posing for photos, showing off their elaborate outfits and accessories.

Some had even gone so far as to dye their hair white, all in an effort to emulate their idol - Prince.

Others even had meticulously crafted their outfits, while others had bought them from online stores, but they all shared the same passion for Prince.

Cosplayers of Telluria Online posed for photos, while popular streamers gave live broadcasts of the event.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Prince Fan Club press conference!"

Exclaimed a cosplaying live-streamer.

She was dressed in a revealing, yet intricately designed Telluria Online costume.

The costume consisted of a silver and gold trimmed bodysuit with a low-cut neckline and long flowing sleeves. The bodysuit was adorned with shimmering jewels and beads, and her long, curly hair was styled in a way that complemented the fantasy-themed outfit perfectly.

"Today, we finally get to meet our mysterious hero, Prince!"

She cheered, her eyes glimmering under the neon lights of her drone camera.

"You've all heard about the myth, the legend and we're just a few moments away from the start of his first ever press conference!"

She continued, her voice filled with excitement.

"I can feel the energy in the air! Will Prince finally reveal his real face today?!"

The live streamer was one of many, her high-pitched voice was rife with excitement, she even began to jump up and down in excitement, her long, flowing hair bouncing with every movement.

As she jumped up and down with excitement, her curves swayed in the bodysuit, causing a stir amongst the fans around her.

Her high-pitched voice was filled with energy as she gushed about the upcoming press conference, and the crowd of fans that had gathered around her grew larger by the minute.

The excitement in the air was palpable, and the anticipation for Prince's first press conference was at an all-time high.

Chronos couldn't help but be amazed by the level of passion and dedication these fans had for their idol.

He leaned toward Sophia, trying to make himself heard over the noise,

"Are these people crazy?"

But even as he said it, he couldn't help but feel caught up in the excitement of the moment.

Sophia couldn't help but laugh at her little brother's naivety.

"Telluria Online SRPG is the most popular game in Tertius, with over a billion unique users last week alone. And Prince is one of the top five most popular and influential personas in the game. How do you not know that?"

Chronos shrugged.

"Well… I use it solely for combat practice, so I usually just log in, fight and then log out…"

"... ... ...."

Sophia stared at her little brother unsure what to think.

On one hand she was proud that he was so hardworking but on the other she felt an indescribable heartache for him not enjoying his childhood.

Suddenly, a young boy's shout interrupted her thoughts.

"Chronos! Chronos! Is that you???"

Chronos turned to see a chubby 5-year-old boy with two suited bodyguards squeezing past the crowd.

"You're a fan of Prince too? I'm his number one fan!"

TaoTie said panting, bent over with his chubby hands on his knees.

There were two model swords dangling clumsily off his back, he had a replica of Chronos's in-game outfit.

Sophia asked, amused at the comical sight,

"Who's this cute fatty Chronos?"

TaoTie glared at the mention of the forbidden "f word" but Chronos quickly introduced,

"This is Senior Researcher Dolus's grandnephew I told you about…"

"And this is my second sister Sophia"

TaoTie's chubby face looked up after finally catching his breath. His eyes widened, and his cheeks started to blush as he muttered,

"Are you an angel?"

Sophia giggled in amusement.

Even though the sibling pair had face masks on, their regal aura and good looks could not be hidden.

Sophia's silky white hair ran down her sleek black business suit like a glimmering waterfall and her set of white irises glimmered majestically in the sunlight.

*Smack*

Chronos hit the back of TaoTie's head, inciting the displeasure of his two built bodyguards,

"Watch how you look at my sister!"

"*Ahem**ahem* At ease… It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm TaoTie Erinyes…"

Little TaoTie waved at his bodyguards and shook Sophia's hand.

Their brief meeting was interrupted by a a loud and thunderous commotion

All three of them turned towards the podium set on the stage before them, where a young man with sharp features and piercing eyes had just appeared.

He strode onto the platform, his multi-colored hair swaying in the wind, and his earring sparkling in the sunlight.

It was Ken Yamamoto, the rumored heir of the Yamamoto group.

The moment he appeared, the audience erupted into cheers and applause.

With a deep breath, the young man began to speak, his voice clear and strong.

"Greetings, citizens of Astral,"

He said, his words echoing out of the futuristic drone speakers hovering around the stage.

The noise from the crowd died down as everyone turned their attention to him.

" Today is a monumental milestone in the growth of Yamamoto Media Group! "

He continued, looking around the stage at the journalists, reporters, and fans gathered before him.

Under the spotlight of the army of drones live streaming and recording the press conference, he announced,

"We the Yamamoto Media Group have managed to sign [ Prince ] of Telluria SRPG as our official brand ambassador! Without further ado, let's give a round of applause to the one and only Prince!!!"

ROAR!!!

The wave of fans erupted into a resounding symphony of thunderous applause and cheers, and the drones whirred and buzzed overhead, capturing every moment of the excitement.

Amidst the deafening welcome, Chronos felt his CommsWatch buzzing...

"What do you plan to do?"

Sophia messaged.

"Just follow my lead!"

Chronos replied, grinning from ear to ear.