Creating Anime In This Fantasy World

The idea of filming Steins;Gate wasn't something Edward came up with on a whim.

As mentioned before, he had deliberately opened Edward's Tavern directly across from the Nosrick Cinema. His goal was to hear audience feedback and discussions about movies as quickly as possible.

Over the past few weeks, he had made an effort to gather opinions on Konosuba, Goblin Slayer, and Fate/Zero, speaking with people from various backgrounds to understand how these films were received.

Ultimately, he reached a somewhat awkward conclusion—people's ability to appreciate films varied depending on their level of education.

At the very bottom of the social hierarchy, the Empire's uneducated commoners absolutely adored Konosuba for its humor.

Movies like Goblin Slayer, which had some depth but remained an adventure film at heart, were also well-received. Even if audiences couldn't fully grasp the deeper themes, they could still enjoy the film purely for its action and storytelling.

But Fate/Zero was a different story. Due to its extensive explanations of the "Magecraft World" and its lore, audience reactions were starkly divided.

One group found the lore overwhelming, meaningless, and difficult to appreciate. They felt that the film should have skipped all the exposition and jumped straight into nonstop battles.

Another group acknowledged the importance of the lore but still thought the explanations were too long. They believed the film should have minimized exposition and focused more on the fights between Heroic Spirits.

Only a small minority—those who had received formal education and had a higher tolerance for complex world-building—truly appreciated Fate/Zero in its entirety. They saw it as a brilliantly crafted masterpiece where everything was thoughtfully designed.

This small group of appreciative viewers included mages from the Imperial Mage Academy, which spoke volumes about the low overall education level of this world.

Under these circumstances, even if Edward had a film he wanted to make, he had no way of knowing whether the general audience would accept it.

Of course, he couldn't simply go to the Emperor and propose a nationwide mandatory education system.

After all, in a feudal monarchy like this, the question of who would fund public education was a dangerous one.

If Edward were to suggest it today, he might find himself assassinated by some unknown killer tomorrow.

That left him with only one viable option: subtly incorporating educational elements into his films, gradually raising the public's ability to appreciate more intellectually demanding stories.

At the very least, he had to prevent commoners from only cheering for flashy battles and comedic skits.

After much thought, the project he ultimately settled on was—Steins;Gate.

While Steins;Gate had nothing to do with magic in its original form—it was a science fiction story built upon rigorous scientific theories and intricate foreshadowing—Edward realized that, with a bit of modification, he could transform it into a film that served as a broad introduction to magical theory.

What made Steins;Gate stand out was its ability to convey complex ideas in a simple, accessible manner through a series of engaging events.

With its slow-burn pacing that ultimately led to an immensely satisfying payoff, the film might also help audiences develop a greater tolerance for slower, more deliberate storytelling.

At the end of the day, changing the world wasn't something that could be accomplished overnight.

Although Edward often talked about creating a better world, he knew that all he could truly do was guide people in the right direction.

And guiding them was exactly what he intended to do.

Perhaps his actions would create ripples in this world, but what those ripples would ultimately change was something even Edward himself couldn't predict.

That was why he had a clear understanding of his role—he was a director and would always remain a director.

He would change the world and shift public perception through films, but he would never personally take action to bring about political reforms or revolutions.

Only by holding firm to this principle could he ensure his own safety while influencing people and events without becoming a direct target.

Otherwise, in the face of the tide of history, even if he was the most talented Grand Mage in the world, he would still be nothing more than a fool trying to stop a storm with his bare hands.

. . . .

For now, upon learning that Edward was preparing to shoot a new film, the Arch Mages immediately clamored to know the details.

However, he decisively refused to reveal any spoilers.

Just as the Arch Mages were about to leave in disappointment, Edward suddenly spoke up:

"Since this new film is closely related to magical research, I will need a large number of students from the academy to act in it. Would I be allowed to recruit actors from the Imperial Mage Academy?"

His words instantly piqued the interest of the Arch Mages.

The hot-tempered Fire Elemental Arch Mage, Warton, who was standing next to Rosa, even blurted out on the spot:

"Can I act in it too? I've been wanting to do this for a long time!"

"...Huh?"

Edward was caught off guard.

The thought that an Arch Mage, a person of such high status, would have dreams of becoming an actor was beyond his imagination.

After a moment of hesitation, he still chose to refuse:

"I'm sorry, but this time the roles must primarily be played by students, with a few lecturers at most. However, if an opportunity arises in the future, I'll definitely invite you, Warton."

"Hah, you better not forget!"

Laughing heartily, the fiery Arch Mage turned and left, seemingly in a great mood.

On the other hand, Hohenheim simply waved a hand dismissively and said,

"Handle the casting yourself, just make sure it doesn't interfere with regular classes."

It was clear that the headmaster of the Imperial Mage Academy had now fully accepted Edward's filmmaking ventures. He didn't even bother pretending to have any objections anymore.

With his approval secured, Edward immediately began planning the casting process within the academy and started drafting the magic-themed adaptation of the Steins;Gate script.

The next period of time was bound to be extremely hectic for him.

After all, the second chapter of Fate/Zero was about to begin filming, The Garden of Sinners had a set schedule for monthly releases, and Konosuba's TV adaptation was also urgent.

On top of all that, the new Steins;Gate project was now in motion.

Edward could already feel the burnout creeping in.

Yet, beneath all the exhaustion, he felt an overwhelming sense of fulfillment.

Because this—this was exactly what he had dreamed of.

Compared to the miserable days when he had first arrived in this world, struggling to find even a scrap of entertainment, things were now progressing step by step toward the world he envisioned.

This was the beautiful world he wanted to create.

Meanwhile, The Garden of Sinners quickly began airing in taverns across the South.

By now, the concept of "cinemas" had become widely understood throughout the southern regions. So, when the idea of "television" was introduced, the people accepted it almost instantly.

Before long, every afternoon, the streets of southern cities would suddenly fall silent.

People vanished from the roads.

Instead, taverns that were once sparsely populated were now packed to capacity—so crowded that many had to stand outside just to catch a glimpse of the screen through the windows.

It was a sight that no one in this world had ever seen before.

Even so, this did nothing to dampen the public's enthusiasm for The Garden of Sinners.

Every day, the packed taverns were enough to give Viscount Baniel a headache—he was already thinking about asking Edward for a few thousand more television sets just to meet demand.

Unfortunately, television production efficiency was still relatively low, and Edward's primary focus was currently on filming his new movie. As a result, this new way of watching films could only be deployed in such a strangely limited manner for now.

Surprisingly, the people of the South had few complaints.

After all, compared to cinema tickets, the biggest advantage of tavern televisions was that they were completely free.

As long as one managed to grab a good seat, they could enjoy a great film at no cost—this was practically a dream come true for ordinary folk.

Of course, this didn't mean The Garden of Sinners wasn't generating revenue for Edward.

In fact, a portion of all tavern earnings was shared with him.

The sheer influx of people brought by television screenings created an overwhelming surge in consumption. Every night, when taverns closed, their owners would find their entire stock of beverages completely wiped out.

Though this type of income wasn't as fast as selling movie tickets, it was far more stable—a reliable long-term revenue stream that ensured Edward Studios a significant financial boost.

Moreover, many sharp-eyed merchants in the South had already realized the commercial potential of television. Countless advertisers, carrying real gold and silver, had approached Viscount Baniel, eager to purchase ad space on the broadcasts.

Unfortunately for them, Edward had no intention of running advertisements just yet.

Until he had firmly established the television industry, he wasn't about to do something so short-sighted and reputation-damaging.

In a way, this decision stemmed from his original dream—to bring joy to all people.

If he lost sight of that dream and started making films solely for profit, then everything would lose its meaning. It would all become empty and soulless.

After leaving the Alchemy Tower, Edward—now having obtained the academy headmaster's approval—spent the entire night writing the script for the magic-adapted version of Steins;Gate.

The next day, he strolled confidently into the Imperial Mage Academy's student office.

The moment the student council members saw him, they couldn't hide their surprise—clearly, they hadn't expected such a famous figure to show up here.

"Senior Edward, what brings you to the student council today? Oh, and by the way, can I ask when the next episodes of Fate/Zero and The Garden of Sinners will be released? I'm a huge fan!"

The one who spoke was the current student council president, a blonde-haired young man who had excitedly sprung to his feet the moment he saw Edward.

Beside him, the student council vice president, a black-haired girl, quickly chimed in:

"President, aren't you being a little too embarrassing? We're student council members—we should at least maintain some dignity!"

Then, turning toward Edward, she continued in a more composed yet clearly eager tone:

"So, Senior Edward... about the next part of The Garden of Sinners that aired last night—can you just give us a little hint about what happens next? I was so caught up in it that I couldn't sleep at all last night."

Seeing their reactions, Edward couldn't help but smile.

At the same time, he immediately told them about his plan to film a new movie.

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