Director Edward

Chapter 240: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Premieres! (2)

Compared to the Eastern and Western regions, where many moviegoers who had never seen a film before chose Song of the Vampire, in the Southern region, tickets for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure were almost instantly sold out.

Even though most audiences didn't know what this so-called JoJo was about, they bought tickets purely because of Durin's name.

After all, while the Southern film industry is only just beginning to develop, Durin's reputation has already spread to the ears of every movie enthusiast.

Moreover, Durin is not just a pioneer of cinema; as a director, every single film he has made so far has been exceptional, without a single flop. This track record led audiences to believe that his new film would once again exceed all expectations.

Of course, a portion of the audience still opted for Song of the Vampire, a film jointly produced by the Southern nobility. After all, the vampire genre itself holds significant appeal, and the script was adapted from a renowned imperial stage play, drawing considerable attention.

However, the majority of Southern moviegoers quickly turned away upon seeing the ticket price—five silver coins—unwilling to even spare it a second glance.

After all, Durin's films had always been priced at just five copper coins, and most Southern residents had grown accustomed to this affordable rate.

Now, except for a few individuals with more money than they knew what to do with, most people instinctively chose Durin's films for their consistent affordability.

Viscount Rainier and the other nobles were aware of this reality, but their focus remained on the undeveloped movie markets in the Eastern and Western regions.

They believed that once audiences there finished watching their film, they would be deeply satisfied and, through word of mouth, attract even more viewers to Song of the Vampire.

At that point, if tickets priced at five silver coins each managed to sell tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands, the resulting revenue would be astronomical. Even after splitting the earnings with the cinemas, it would still amount to an incredible profit.

The Southern nobles, whose eyes had already turned red with greed under the impact of the film industry, could barely wait to see their movie become a massive hit.

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Imperial Mage Academy.

Though it was the first day of the new year, most mages had no intention of returning home.

As mentioned before, once someone joined the academy, they would find themselves surrounded by like-minded individuals who shared the same ideals and goals. In such an environment, most people were reluctant to return to their previous lives. It was not uncommon for mages to spend their entire lives within the academy.

Of course, there were exceptions. Some students from particularly impoverished backgrounds and a handful of noble heirs left the academy to return to their families.

The former, naturally, went back to support their struggling households, while the latter left simply to attend the traditional New Year gatherings common among the nobility.

Under these circumstances, the majority of students chose to stay at the academy, spending their days either conducting various magical experiments with their peers or delving into solitary magical practice.

As for the lecturers and professors, they were even more devoted.

It could be said that most magicians who were part of the Mage's Tower were the most accomplished researchers.

No mage, once they had witnessed the wonders and mysteries of magic, would willingly turn back to indulge in the basest human desires.

Pursuing the pinnacle of magic was the ultimate goal of every mage.

However, despite this unwavering dedication, when the familiar movie screen began to rise gradually in the plaza, students and lecturers alike rushed out of the classrooms and the Mage's Tower without hesitation.

The allure of the movie quickly made them forget all their prior pursuits as they neatly gathered in the plaza, patiently waiting for the film to begin.

Before the movie started, the mages naturally took the opportunity to chat with those around them.

"What's this movie about again?"

"I'm not sure. Could it be a continuation of Fate/Zero or Steins;Gate?"

"But weren't those scheduled to release in the spring?"

"Could they be releasing earlier than planned?"

"No way. I heard from a classmate who went back to the South that Director Durin seems to have shelved The Garden of Sinners to make a new movie instead."

"What? A new movie?"

"So that's why there hasn't been an update for The Garden of Sinners last month! It got shelved?"

"This is outrageous! My Ryougi Shiki, my beloved wife—I haven't seen her for a whole month!"

"Cut the nonsense. Who was it who spent every day in the Alchemy Tower watching replays? I bet you've already memorized the first five episodes of The Garden of Sinners by now."

"Not really, but I have almost memorized the plot of KonoSuba."

"Wow. That's even more ridiculous."

"…"

A flurry of conversations filled the air. Upon learning that the upcoming screening was a completely new movie, the mages were initially a bit disappointed. However, excitement quickly took over.

After all, every single film Durin had made in the past was a masterpiece. They were confident that this new movie would not let them down.

...

Southern Duke's Estate.

Upon receiving the imaging crystal sent by Durin, Duke Constantine immediately summoned Roy to assist in setting up the screening.

Despite the apparent overqualification of the task, Roy showed no resistance and simply nodded calmly.

At the same time, Daphne and her guards had also heard the news and arrived from afar. Originally, if Durin hadn't sent the imaging crystal, they had planned to watch the film in the cinema.

After all, due to the embarrassment of a certain Captain Brando, Durin had deliberately avoided letting Daphne stay on set during filming. As a result, she had no idea what the movie was actually about.

Now, as the movie screen unfolded in the grand living room, the residents of the duke's estate all displayed expressions of anticipation.

"Is this a new movie?"

Suddenly, a figure with flowing golden hair slowly emerged from a corner of the living room. Though her appearance was abrupt, no one in the room seemed surprised.

"Yes, it's from Durin Edward," Duke Constantine replied, ensuring to reserve the best seat for her.

"That's certainly something to look forward to," True Ancestor Arcueid said, her flawless, emotionless face gradually softening into a faint smile of anticipation.

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