Chapter 2: Filming Project Proposal
"Lord Edward, it's time for dinner."
The maid's voice echoed from outside.
Upon hearing this, Durin, who had just emerged from his secluded room, paused for a moment before striding down the stairs.
As the only maid in the castle, Winry was an orphan taken in by the previous Baron Edward. Having lived in the Edward family's castle since childhood, she had a great loyalty to the family while also harboring deep concerns for Durin, her childhood friend.
From the initial high expectations of the entire family to the disappointment when Durin returned from the Mage Tower, his state of mind during that time was evident.
Therefore, determined to care for her master meticulously until he emerged from the shadows, Winry had done everything she could during that period.
Whether it was acting as the acting lord to handle affairs or engaging in negotiations with other nobles, coupled with taking care of Durin's daily life, if it weren't for Winry managing the affairs of the castle after the old Baron Edward's death, the Edward family would likely have declined long ago.
And for Durin now, Winry's presence was the only bright spot in his darkness. To him, Winry was the one who gave some meaning to his otherwise boring life.
At this moment, Durin hurriedly descended from the tower without even catching his breath, leaning against the wall as he said, "I'm here, thank you for your hard work, Winry."
"Oh, it's no problem, it's my duty..."
Winry's expression turned strange. For her, the recent changes in Durin were as if he had become a different person. Not only was he willing to listen to her trivial chatter, but he also became more outgoing in his behavior, although he still refused to deal with various matters in the castle like before, he didn't lock himself in his room anymore.
Although she felt that the changes in the young man were too great, she was still pleased that her master could emerge from his despair. She continued to fulfill her duties as a maid meticulously, without any hint of laziness.
On the other hand, Durin, feeling completely healed by the meticulous golden-haired girl before him, swept away the gloom in his heart. It was as if he had completely forgotten that this was a world without computers or phones, and he began to feel that his current life was quite good.
Yes, the Durin of the past, as an anime enthusiast, was a true lover of golden hair and maids. Now, both elements were concentrated in Winry before him. He couldn't even think of a happier place than this.
"Ah, if only there were animal ears, like a loli with golden hair and animal ears, hehehe..."
Seeing Durin inadvertently entering his perverted state, Winry, who was accustomed to this scene, could only sigh and gently touch her forehead before speaking, "Lord Edward, I've already declined the banquet invitation from the Duke of the South Border that arrived a few days ago on your behalf, but it seems to have displeased the duke. Our days ahead may be difficult for some time."
"Let him be. After all, even the Duke of the South Border has no right to meddle in the affairs of fellow nobles."
"But, Lord Edward, the debts your father owed back then..."
Yes, the former Baron Edward had incurred a large amount of debt in order to raise Durin and his brother, Al. Although if Durin had graduated from the Mage Tower and become a formal Imperial Mage, this debt could have been repaid using public funds, now that Durin had been expelled from the Mage Tower, the current Edward family had no ability to repay this debt.
"The Duke of the South Border has always had a high regard for Lord Durin. If Lord Durin would consider..."
"It's impossible!"
Before Winry could finish her words, Durin responded firmly, "The current relations between the Empire's four borders and the capital are not good. Coupled with the new king's ascension, conflicts are inevitable. Choosing sides at this time is akin to rolling dice and waiting for death. Even though I was once hailed as the genius who became the youngest Grand Mage in history at the Mage Tower, in the face of war, I am nothing more than a dispensable pawn."
Yes, Durin was well aware of his current position and the risks behind gaining the favor of a duke. While being appreciated by a duke might seem appealing, upon closer inspection, the risks became apparent.
If Durin were on his own, it would be one thing, but if he were to take a stand as Baron Edward, the entire Edward family would be implicated afterward!
Understanding her master's determination, Winry nodded reluctantly and sighed, "But what about those debts? The harvests on our lands haven't been great these years, and coupled with the overall economic decline in the South Border, it won't be long before we can't even afford the commissions for our knights."
Winry spoke the truth. After the old Baron Edward passed away, the economic situation of the Edward family deteriorated day by day. Although nobles often had vast private estates, the Edward family, a bottom-tier family completely excluded from the formal noble social circle, did not possess such wealth. So when Winry mentioned they were out of money, it meant the Edward family was truly teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.
Upon hearing this, Durin, who had been walking forward, suddenly stopped and turned to Winry, asking, "Winry, do you think there's any way we can get through this crisis?"
Upon hearing Durin's straightforward question, Winry paused for a moment before responding, "Aside from the option of seeking refuge with the Duke of the South Border, Lord Al, who enlisted in the army many years ago, might have some solutions. But to be honest, I'd rather you leave this castle now, Lord Edward. If you leave now, it would be difficult for those nobles to trace you, even when they come to settle the debts later..."
To Winry's suggestion, Durin replied calmly, "You're wrong, Winry. Relying on others all the time isn't a good habit, and running away isn't a solution either. Anyway, tell me roughly how much we still owe now."
"With interest, we owe over fifty thousand gold coins... But considering our daily expenses, the Edward family now has less than two thousand gold coins left. Even if we sell our castle and lands, it wouldn't be enough to cover it..."
Winry's expression darkened slightly as she spoke, while Durin, who understood how worried she was, pondered silently for a moment.
According to the approximate exchange rate of gold coins in this world, even if he were to write novels starting now, he would probably only earn a four-figure sum at most, even if he wrote a bestselling one. Besides that...
"I guess I really have to start planning to make anime."
As it was an industry yet to be explored in this world, Durin was confident that he would achieve absolute success in the initial commercial warfare. Of course, this was assuming that the anime he produced would indeed be popular.
With that, Durin suddenly turned around and ran back to where he came from, much to the surprise of the maid.
...
For the next several days, Durin seemed to revert to his old self, shutting himself in his room and hardly ever stepping outside. He spent almost all day confined to his room, and Winry only saw him during meal times. After finishing his meal, Durin would hastily return to his room without delay.
On about the fifth day, Durin finally emerged from his room, exhausted, holding a thick stack of manuscripts. He staggered towards Winry, who had been waiting outside the door, and said, "Win... Winry... water... please..."
"Of course! My lord!"
Thinking that Durin had been distressed by the debt issue once again, Winry dared not bring up the topic. Silently, she assisted him to the living room.
"Gulp, gulp, gulp~"
After drinking two pots of water and feeling utterly exhausted, Durin finally heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Hahaha! I finally completed the scripts!"
Indeed, for the past five days, Durin had exhausted all his memories, writing scripts for several anime series. To prevent himself from forgetting in the future, he even organized outlines for all the anime from different worlds that he remembered using a special format.
Fortunately, in this world where papermaking technology existed, paper was not very expensive. Otherwise, the cost of all these scripts alone would have been substantial.
"Scripts?"
On the other hand, Winry, who didn't quite understand what Durin was talking about, instinctively looked at the stack of papers spread out on the table. At just one glance, she found it hard to take her eyes off them.
Indeed, in a world where paper and printing technology existed, books were not scarce resources. So, being literate, Winry could easily recognize the text on the manuscripts.
At the top of the thick stack of papers, there was clearly written: "Fullmetal Alchemist: Season 1, Live-action adaptation postponed due to lack of props."
And on the other side of this thick stack, a smaller pile of manuscripts was neatly placed: "Proposal for the live-action adaptation of 'KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!': Season 1 in another world."