Chapter 294 - 232: Beyond Reach

Chapter 294: Chapter 232: Beyond Reach

The regular meeting ended, and everyone else had already left. Sir Gordo stayed behind, following Zog into a small, private meeting room to discuss the script.

Meeting rooms were probably the most numerous type of room at Zog Group Headquarters.

Sir Gordo held the script. He had no real reason to refuse the role.

He had always found making a Shadow of Evil to be a fascinating affair. He was quite fond of the novelties the Zog Group dreamed up; otherwise, he wouldn’t have invested in the variety show.

He just never expected that there would be a Shadow of Evil that needed an actor like him.

He could only move his head, and, at most, the Mage’s Hand he was so adept with.

His talent was limited. Sir Gordo could only control one Mage’s Hand at a time.

But practice makes perfect, and he believed that no one was more skilled than him at controlling a single Mage’s Hand.

’But what kind of Shadow of Evil would need an actor who could only move his head?’

’How could I even act? Would they just film my facial expressions?’

"Beyond Reach?"

Sir Gordo read the script’s title with a hint of confusion.

"What kind of story is this?"

’Just from the title, it’s impossible to guess what kind of story this Shadow of Evil would tell.’

"Er, it’s basically about two people from vastly different stations in life—different identities, statuses, and social backgrounds. They unexpectedly form a deep bond, but in the end, those very differences force them to part ways. Their friendship, however, lasts a lifetime," Zog explained.

"So, it’s a tragic romance?"

It was no wonder Sir Gordo thought so; Zog’s description really did sound a lot like a love story.

’A noble girl and a poor boy fall in love at first sight but are forced to break up due to family pressure.’

Stories like that were the most popular. Every Minstrel kept a few such tales in their repertoire to use on audiences with a lot of women. They were guaranteed to draw buckets of tears—it worked every single time.

’But what does that have to do with improving the image of Tieflings? Is the poor boy a Tiefling, meant to make the audience sympathize with his plight?’

Sir Gordo felt that the audience would not empathize with a poor Tiefling boy; it was more likely they would empathize with the girl’s parents.

’Your daughter, whom you raised with your own hands, suddenly brings home some guy who popped out of nowhere. He has no money, no future, and he’s from a different race, yet your daughter is crying and screaming that she wants to marry him.’

Sir Gordo believed that any parent with a shred of sense would break them up without a moment’s hesitation.

"No," Zog denied Gordo’s theory. "It’s a buddy comedy."

"Huh?"

"Anyway, just read the script first."

Sir Gordo opened the script.

The script was very thin, which at first made him think it wasn’t the complete version and that he wouldn’t get to see the rest until he agreed to the part.

But he soon discovered why the script was so thin: it was more like an outline, only describing the general setting for each scene and the broad direction of the dialogue.

There were no specific lines, no stage directions, and no emotional cues.

Even the scripts used by the mentors on Feilin’s Best Songs were more detailed than this.

’Yes, sometimes the scripts for variety shows can be incredibly detailed, down to every single word they have to say. It’s all an act.’

"Why is this script so..."

"Simple, right?" Zog understood Gordo’s confusion.

"Because you’re not a professional actor, and the plan is that your Tiefling caretaker won’t be a professional actor either. So we want you to improvise in life-like scenes. The more natural, the better. As long as you stick to the general direction of the plot, it’ll be fine. You can think of it as a documentary with a plot."

Sir Gordo nodded. He knew what documentaries were. The Zog Group had released several on the Magic Vision Device: some introduced different regional cuisines, some went into forests and deserts to film animals, others followed the lives of working-class laborers...

They covered all sorts of topics, with the defining characteristic being an emphasis on authenticity—no pre-written scripts and no special effects added in post-production.

He actually quite enjoyed watching them. He found them both educational and relaxing to watch.

The plot of "Beyond Reach" was very simple, with only two main characters.

A middle-aged nobleman, paralyzed due to an accident, who must rely on others to live and has lost all hope in life.

And the nobleman’s caretaker, an optimistic and energetic young Tiefling who was just released from prison, scrapes by on the streets, and has no proper job.

Now Sir Gordo understood why Zog wanted him to play the main character.

Who could be more suitable than him?

A paralyzed, middle-aged nobleman playing a paralyzed, middle-aged nobleman.

He wouldn’t even have to act; that was his life.

Sir Gordo continued reading the script.

A lonely nobleman, respected by society but disgusted with his own life, chooses a young Tiefling—who is discriminated against by society yet still faces life with optimism—to be his live-in caretaker.

’Why would he choose him?’

Sir Gordo put himself in the character’s shoes and quickly understood.

Just as it was written in the script, this completely unprofessional Tiefling treated the nobleman like a living, breathing person, like a friend.

That was a feeling that was severely lacking in his own life.

Sir Gordo thought of his own personal assistant, the one who had gotten injured. It wasn’t that he was unreliable; on the contrary, he was extremely professional, taking care of every aspect of Gordo’s life with considerable thoroughness.

But Sir Gordo didn’t like him.

Because he treated Sir Gordo like an exquisite, priceless, and fragile piece of porcelain.

With extreme caution, and an invisible barrier between them.

What Sir Gordo found even harder to accept was that he could see poorly concealed sympathy and pity in the personal assistant’s eyes.