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Lord of Entertainment C365 HB Invasion
🕑 Added 2025-07-01 17:50:01 +0000 UTC(3rd Person POV)
Inside the towering headquarters of Ferland Bank in Ferland City, the place looked more like a royal palace than a financial institution. Gold and silver decorated the walls, and the floors were lined with plush red carpets that looked expensive enough to feed a village.
At the end of what resembled a throne room, a tall, broad-shouldered demon sat on a raised chair. His majestic, goat-like horns curled back, and his glowing green eyes radiated quiet pressure.
He was Malric Mammon — Chairman of Ferland Bank, one of the Four Dukes, and head of the infamous Mammon family.
Kneeling before him was a shorter, chubby demon — his bloodline tainted with human ancestry. His name was Jeremiah Mammon, the half-demon Senior Vice President of the bank.
Malric’s voice rumbled low and cold.
“So you’re saying… Hellfire Bank is pulling in customers just by selling early movie tickets?”
Jeremiah swallowed hard and nodded quickly.
“Y-Yes, my lord. We tried slowing them down by sabotaging those strange machines — the ATMs — but they replaced them almost immediately. And now, with those movie tickets only available through their cards… people are lining up to open accounts.”
Malric tapped the armrest of his throne in steady rhythm, his expression unreadable.
“We’ve seen the power of those machines,” he muttered. “The temptation of convenience… cards that let you buy without carrying cash. Credit. Debit. Withdrawal on demand. It’s dangerous.”
He paused.
“If we can’t stop them outright, we need to find a way to get access to their tech. One way or another.”
Jeremiah hesitated, his face pale but curious.
“Is it… really that much of a threat, though?”
Malric’s eyes narrowed. The pressure in the room thickened.
“You fool,” he snapped.
Jeremiah flinched like he’d been slapped.
“The Big Four in the Horn Kingdom surrendered to Hellfire Bank because of that so-called convenience. Because of those machines and those cards. Don’t you get it? It’s not just a service — it’s a shift in control.”
His voice dropped an octave.
“If we don’t act fast, the same thing will happen here.”
Jeremiah stayed quiet, unsure what to say. After a beat, he asked carefully:
“Then… should we appeal to His Majesty? Ask the King to block Hellfire’s expansion?”
Malric let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back in his chair.
“I already tried. But the King...”
“He still holds some soft spot for his youngest son. Word is, he’s even been helping that so-called exile behind closed doors.”
Jeremiah blinked, stunned.
Neither of them knew the real reason the King still supported Arthur: a private deal. A binding contract. And access to Hellfire’s secure private server — which had become the backbone of the royal intelligence system.
---
Meanwhile, at a small Hellfire Bank branch in the Central District of Ferland, the line of people waiting to open accounts had already grown into the dozens.
Thankfully, the process was quick and straightforward — far easier than the long, complicated requirements of the older banks. The tellers were polite, patient, and genuinely helpful. Every person leaving the counter walked out with a smile on their face, some even waving goodbye.
Among the crowd, two figures stood out — drawing attention like magnets.
“Can’t believe we’re in the same room as His Highness,” one demon whispered to the one beside him.
“Right? And Princess Lucy’s here too… The Royal Princess of Wealth, lining up like the rest of us.”
“They’re not even pulling rank to cut the line. That’s... rare.”
Quiet murmurs filled the air. Everyone knew who they were.
Azazel Morningstar — Crown Prince of the Morningstar Kingdom — and his older sister, Princess Lucy, known throughout the realm for her shrewd financial mind and economic influence.
Despite the stares, Azazel seemed composed. He glanced around and noticed the respectful gap the other customers instinctively left between them. No one dared stand too close.
Only Lucy sat beside him, completely at ease.
The moment they stepped into the branch, Azazel could already tell — business was thriving. The place buzzed with energy, and the name Hellfire Bank was clearly spreading fast.
Breaking the silence, Azazel spoke in a measured tone.
“I didn’t expect you to take interest in Arthur’s new banking venture. Especially considering it’s him behind it.”
He glanced sideways.
“Weren’t you always the one who disliked him the most?”
Lucy gave a faint smile, eyes forward.
“Brother jests. Arthur and I have always been close,” she said calmly, without flinching.
Azazel said nothing — just smiled.
He didn’t argue, though he knew the truth. Arthur leaving the kingdom, relocating his company, pulling his talents and resources to another nation… It wasn’t because of ambition.
It was because of Lucy’s suffocating tax laws. Taxes that had bled his film studio dry, targeting success as if it were a sin.
“What do you think of this banking venture of his?” Azazel asked casually, his eyes drifting across the bustling bank. “Seems like it’s getting popular fast. I’d say it’s already a small success.”
Lucy, arms folded over her chest, replied coolly, “Well, who wouldn’t come running when they hear the only way to buy early tickets for a Hellfire movie is through debit or credit cards — and those cards just so happen to only come from this bank.”
Azazel raised a brow. “So you're saying it's all because of the film?”
Lucy smiled, but said nothing.
Azazel leaned back in his seat. “I heard the Hellfire Bank’s already taken over the financial scene in the Horn Kingdom. Even the Big Four there are crumbling under the pressure.”
“They didn’t crumble,” Lucy corrected, “They surrendered. Probably because of the benefits Arthur offered — and the sheer control he’s gained over that kingdom.” She glanced toward the counter. “I still don’t understand how he pulled it off. For a man who started with nothing but films… even the royals over there can’t seem to stand against him anymore.”
Azazel gave a small nod. “It’s impressive, I’ll admit.”
“But anyway—” Lucy said, brushing the topic aside, “—I’m more curious about the Hellphone than this bank of his. That’s the real deal. I’d buy one over a movie ticket any day—”
Before she could say more, a voice interrupted.
“Hoho! If it isn’t His Highness and the Royal Princess herself!”
The bank manager approached with a nervous smile. Being an incubus, the flirtiness in his tone was natural, though clearly restrained.
“I’m honored by your visit,” he said with a bow. “Actually, we anticipated your arrival. The Hellfire Bank has already prepared accounts in your names — along with your own credit and debit cards.”
Lucy and Azazel exchanged a look, mildly surprised.
The incubus handed them sleek envelopes with gold embossing. They opened them immediately.
Inside were account papers and two cards each — one black credit card and one silver debit card, both bearing their names in crisp letters.
Azazel let out a small chuckle. “So these are the cards Arthur showed me during the party a while ago…”
He ran his thumb across the embossed print. “To think it was part of something this big... Color me impressed, Arthur.”
As for Lucy, her expression didn’t change much — but her mind was already racing.
She stared at the black credit card in her hand.
‘This card… It’s not just for buying things. It’s a symbol — of convenience, of loyalty, of access.’
She knew it wouldn’t take long before the nobility and merchant class started using it to buy influence and speed up their transactions. Soon, any business without Hellfire payment terminals would be seen as outdated.
‘If I can get Ferland’s merchant guilds to adopt this card... if I invest early enough in infrastructure that supports it… I can control the flow before anyone else realizes what’s happening.’
She glanced sideways at her brother. He looked amused, maybe even nostalgic.
‘No need to tell him yet. Let him think I’m just here for the movie tickets.’
She slipped the card back into the envelope, her smile faint — but sharp as a knife.
"With these cards, I can finally buy that ticket online," Azazel said with a light chuckle, twirling the Hellfire credit card between his fingers.
"Same here," Lucy added with a calm smile, tucking hers into her purse. "Looks like being royalty has its perks, after all."
---
While the Morningstar Kingdom was still in the early stages of opening accounts at the Hellfire Bank just to buy early tickets, the situation in the Horn Kingdom had already escalated far beyond that.
There, tickets for “Titanic” had sold out within just 48 hours. The first and second-day screenings were completely reserved.
This naturally left many people frustrated—especially those who didn’t have Hellfire Bank cards yet.
On the Hellfire Forums, the frustration spilled out like wildfire:
“Hellfire’s forcing us to open a bank account just to watch a damn movie!”
“I applied for a card yesterday and today I find out tickets are gone. What’s the point?”
“Can’t believe I have to wait two whole days to watch a movie now. This is dumb.”
“Titanic? Sounds boring. Romance isn’t Arthur’s thing. Bet it’ll flop.”
Even so, the backlash wasn’t as strong as it could have been. Deep down, most people understood.
Hellfire Bank was slowly becoming the most convenient financial option in the kingdom—whether people liked it or not. And the government wasn’t exactly hiding its favoritism either.
In fact, the biggest shock came just days earlier:
The King himself had publicly stated that Hellfire Bank might become the new Central Bank, replacing the outdated Royal Bank.
It sent ripples through the economic world.
Some questioned if it was real. Others argued it was too soon.
~~~
Meanwhile, as tickets vanished from official sales within hours, frustration alone wasn’t enough to stop people’s desire to see the film.
They still wanted it.
And so, naturally, people began to look for another way.
That’s when the black market quietly stepped in.
Syndicates, underground groups, and opportunistic gangs saw an opening. They knew the film was hot, the demand was overwhelming, and the ticket system had one exploitable flaw—purchases were tied to Hellfire Bank cardholders.
So they mobilized.
Using their resources, these groups hired dozens—sometimes hundreds—of individuals with Hellfire debit or credit cards. Each person was instructed to buy one or two tickets through the official site. Once secured, the tickets were handed over to the organization and stockpiled.
It was a scraping operation—done quietly, efficiently, and at scale.
Soon enough, these same tickets were being resold at triple, even quadruple the original price through back channels. The moment someone complained online about missing out, someone else would reply with a location or contact: “There’s a guy behind Lucky Inn. Ask for Marek.”
Risky? Absolutely.
But worth it?
For many—yes.
Despite the price hikes, despite the shady venues, people lined up in alleys and underground lounges, whispering passwords just to get a shot at seeing Titanic on premiere day.
Comments
Tyler Karp
Thank you for the chapter
