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Chapter 189: My Holy Day

When Vivienne emerged, her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Look who\'s finally graced us with his presence. Enjoyed your Japonese getaway?"

"Hardly a getaway," Arthur countered, his wry smile belying his exhaustion. "Try weeks of non-stop filming and negotiations with the prince. My idea of a vacation usually involves fewer samurai critiquing my every move."

"Oh?" Vivienne raised an eyebrow. "And here I thought you were lounging in hot springs. You\'ll have to show me this mysterious film of yours."

"Once it\'s ready," Arthur promised. "Though I doubt you\'ll believe half of what happened there."

"Arthur!" Firfel\'s voice carried warmth as she joined them, still clutching her script pages.

He turned, offering a gentle smile. "How are you?"

"Busy - voicing Bulma and other characters in your series," she replied brightly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "But managing."

"You\'re not neglecting your acting career, are you?" Concern tinged his voice.

"Of course not." Her smile widened. "I\'m actually filming right now - just drove over because I didn\'t want to miss Bulma\'s sessions."

"You could always catch up on recording later," Arthur suggested. "Focus on your shoots."

"She won\'t," Vivienne interjected, her lips curving knowingly. "She\'s as devoted to this studio as she is to--" Her gaze moved deliberately between them. "Anyway, I\'ll leave you two lovebirds alone."

Firfel\'s cheeks flushed pink. "What are you implying? Don\'t be ridiculous."

"Yeah, where\'s this coming from?" Arthur added.

Vivienne gave an exasperated sigh. "Oh, please. Don\'t play innocent. You think I haven\'t noticed? After months of watching you two, it\'s obvious there are feelings there!"

They fell silent as she continued, "Neither of you will admit it, but I see right through you both!"

Firfel darted a quick look at Arthur before looking away. She let out a nervous laugh. "Don\'t make assumptions, Vivi! That\'s not fair." Gathering her things hastily, she added, "Anyway, I need to get back to my shoot!"

As Firfel rushed away, Vivienne turned her knowing gaze to Arthur.

"I\'ve got things to handle," Arthur said with a shrug, making his own exit.

Vivienne watched them both leave, shaking her head with a resigned sigh.

***

In his office, Arthur settled into the padded leather chair, its familiar comfort doing little to quiet his racing thoughts. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the large windows, casting a warm glow across his polished desk as he pondered Vivienne\'s observations.

Her insight had caught him off guard - she\'d noticed something he thought he\'d hidden well. But Firfel\'s feelings remained uncertain. True, her nervous exit and blushing seemed promising, but he needed more concrete signs.

This time, he wanted near certainty - at least 90 percent - before making any moves. His previous life had taught him hard lessons about the friend zone, experiences he wasn\'t eager to repeat. The thought of Firfel responding with "let\'s just be friends" made him hesitate.

Pushing aside these personal concerns, Arthur focused on his company\'s performance review. While films remained their primary revenue source, television ventures showed impressive growth. His mission to revive football in this world had exceeded expectations.

The Horn Premier League\'s live broadcasts had captured the kingdom\'s imagination, with his own team Hellfire FC clinching the championship. Excitement for upcoming matches continued to build throughout the kingdom.

In Wales, where Arthur had established the Welsh Premier League, recent live broadcasts on Welsh Hellfire Network were already drawing significant attention. Football\'s revival was proceeding exactly as planned.

Arthur scanned Genesis\'s letter with interest. The Welsh noble-turned-footballer expressed genuine excitement about the sport\'s growing popularity in his kingdom, urging Arthur to expand it across Evros.

The suggestion made him chuckle. Horn, Morningstar, and Wales were just the beginning.

Arthur harbored no illusions about the challenge ahead. Displacing traditional sword fighting tournaments and magical sports would take years - those events had deep roots and strong media coverage. But he remained undaunted.

His next moves were already taking shape: establishing FIFA, introducing the Ballon d\'Or

and Golden Boy awards. The first step would be unifying the Anatolian and Evros Football Associations under one governing body. From there, he could assemble professional judges to evaluate talent and determine award recipients.

***

Meanwhile in Angel City\'s poorest districts, Dionysus\'s following had grown to five thousand believers, drawing the attention of Solarus Faith\'s leadership.

Inside the marble halls of Angel City\'s Solarus Temple, golden light streamed through towering stained glass windows, illuminating the gathered religious officials.

At the ornate meeting table sat High Priest Eryndor, three Senior Inquisitors, and five Temple Elders. Incense smoke coiled through the air from silver censers as High Inquisitor Thaddeus, head of Angel City\'s Solarus branch, addressed the assembly.

"Disturbing reports have reached us from the underprivileged districts," Thaddeus\'s voice resonated through the chamber. "They worship a false god called Dionysus. Most concerning is how rapidly this cult has spread - materializing mysteriously just a month ago."

High Priest Eryndor stroked his beard. "Dionysus... A new entity entirely. We\'ve documented many cults, but none dedicated to this deity."

"We should petition Apollo Kingdom for a champion," another high priest urged. "Their Sacred Knights could root out these heretical teachings swiftly."

A templar elder waved dismissively. "Requesting a champion for such a minor disturbance? This hardly warrants their attention. It\'s a simple cult - well within our capabilities to handle."

"Indeed," another elder agreed. "This Dionysus only draws followers from the lower classes. Unlike other cults with noble or royal adherents, they pose no real threat."

"A simple show of force should suffice," suggested a high priest. "Send the city guard to discourage these peasants from straying from Lord Solarus\'s light."

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the assembly, their casual disdain for the poor people evident in every word.

Elena, quietly refilling wine goblets, listened with growing concern. Her anxiety peaked at mention of champions, then eased as they dismissed the threat.

Moving away from the meeting, she caught herself feeling relieved that Dionysus\'s followers would be spared - a startling revelation. Remembering Crystal\'s answered prayers and the other miracles she\'d witnessed, Elena found herself wondering if perhaps this "false god" wasn\'t so false after all.

***

Throughout late November, Arthur methodically established FIFA, consolidating the football associations under his influence - Anatolia, Evros, Wales, and Horn - into a unified governing body.

His meetings with association executives about upcoming award ceremonies proved productive, with each proposal meeting enthusiastic support.

By December, as his sports initiatives flourished, Arthur turned his attention to a long-considered project - establishing December 25 as a holiday in this world, drawing inspiration from Christmas in his previous life.

His position as Dionysus, combined with his growing media influence, made such cultural transformation possible.

That evening, Arthur reclined in his bed while initiating mental communication with John, the city\'s darkness providing a fitting backdrop for their discussion.

"The Solarus Church has taken notice of our activities," John reported, tension evident in his voice. "Their city guards have begun harassing our followers, demanding they forsake you and pledge themselves solely to Solarus."

Arthur considered this development briefly before responding, "Guide our followers to outwardly conform - appear to worship Solarus while maintaining their true devotion in secret."

The pragmatic instruction startled John, but as the voice of his deity commanded it, he had no choice but to comply.

Shifting topics, Arthur outlined his vision for December 25. "I want to establish a day of universal celebration," he explained. "A time when all beings - regardless of wealth, status, or race - come together in fellowship and exchange gifts."

"What shall we call this sacred day, my lord?" John asked from his modest apartment, intrigued by the concept.

"This will be known as the Festival of Dionysus," Arthur explained, "though publicly, we\'ll call it the \'Winter Festival\' to avoid unwanted attention."

This wasn\'t mere nostalgia for Christmas from his previous life - his Divine Feature demanded a holy day for his role as Dionysus. December 25th proved an ideal choice, as various cultures in this world already marked it with their own celebrations, though none had achieved widespread recognition. Arthur saw an opportunity to transform these scattered observances into something greater, unifying them under his influence.

"For now, our followers number only a few thousand humans," he continued, his voice carrying quiet conviction, "but when demons, elves, and dwarves join our celebrations, this day will take on even greater meaning."

John\'s face brightened with understanding. "I look forward to witnessing that day, my lord."