Chapter 39: A New Film
Upon hearing the guild master's words, Durin was surprised to see that the guild master of the Northern Region Adventurers Guild had arrived so quickly that he hurried to greet her. However, as he started to rise, the door to the room slowly opened, and a graceful figure stepped inside.
She was a tall, slender beauty with dazzling golden hair. Although it might sound somewhat subtle, in reality, anyone would describe such a striking woman in a similar manner.
Seeing Durin's surprise, the guild master of the Southern Region hastily introduced her, saying, "Um, let me introduce you. This is Lady Alyssa David, the guild master of the Northern Region Adventurers Guild."
Upon hearing the Southern Region guild master's words, Alyssa wore a quizzical expression. Durin, on the other hand, quickly responded, "Hello, I'm Durin Edward, also known as the screenwriter and director of 'Konosuba: God Blessings on this Wonderful World'."
Acknowledging Durin's introduction, Alyssa slightly adjusted the hem of her dress and approached Durin before nodding. "I've heard of you. Whether it's as the youngest Grand Mage or as the director of this emerging medium called film, I greatly admire you."
Surprised by the serious demeanor of the Northern Region guild master toward him, Durin, who was accustomed to a more lighthearted atmosphere, was momentarily taken aback. After a brief moment of stiffness, he instinctively replied, "I didn't expect the guild master of the Northern Region to also take an interest in movies. May I ask what brings you to the Southern Region? It can't simply be to watch a movie, can it?"
While there were teleportation arrays for convenient travel between towns in this world, they were prohibitively expensive due to the high energy consumption. Therefore, only true dignitaries, like the two guild masters before him, would use them. Even ordinary nobles did not have the means to afford such luxuries.
Sensing Durin's discomfort with the formal exchange, the beautiful woman before him suddenly adopted a more casual posture, half-sitting on the ground. Seeing Durin's surprise, she simply smiled and replied, "I can tell you're not fond of the formalities between nobles, Director Durin. Truth be told, I find such rigid atmospheres quite distasteful myself. I prefer the simple interactions among adventurers."
"You're an adventurer too?"
With this realization, Durin understood. Despite her appearance of nobility with her golden hair, it was evident that she was a genuine adventurer at heart.
Upon hearing his words, Alyssa simply nodded faintly and said, "Before becoming the guild master, I was also an adventurer. In the Northern Region, only those who excel among countless adventurers can become guild masters. I was fortunate to be appointed due to my relatively high rank and adventurer level."
"May I ask about your rank?"
"Haha, it's not that high. Compared to you, Director Durin, achieving the rank of Sword Master took me more than ten years."
Although Alyssa said this calmly, both Durin and the Southern Region guild master obviously couldn't stay calm. While the rank of Sword Master was equivalent to that of a Grand Mage, no one had reached the sixth rank of Sword Saint yet, making Sword Master the pinnacle for fifth-rank swordsmen.
Surprised to be sitting in front of an Empire's top-tier powerhouse, the Southern Region Adventurers Guild master deeply felt a sense of disparity. Durin, who reacted first, continued to ask, "So, what is your purpose?"
"Oh, I almost forgot."
Showing a completely different side from her appearance, Alyssa quickly said, "I've already enjoyed the movie directed by you, Director Durin. To be honest, it was splendid. Although it clearly portrayed elements more closely related to Southern Region adventurers, it still moved me as a former adventurer. After watching it, I even felt an impulse to pick up my sword and become an anonymous adventurer again. Of course, this has nothing to do with my purpose for coming here. I simply came for the sake of this film technology. But I didn't expect the script by Director Durin to be so excellent..."
Alyssa was straightforward with her words, admitting that she came for the film technology. Upon hearing this, Durin could only respond helplessly, "While I'm glad you enjoyed the film, I can't hand over the film technology for now. Unless the Empire establishes a standardized patent system, I can't release the technology. I can't simply hand over the film technology, as I'm aware of the impact it would have on the world. Without a proper patent system, I need to ensure that the technology is used responsibly."
Indeed, Durin understood the potential impact of film technology on the world. However, he also knew that spreading the technology directly would only create a small ripple in this world. If he wanted to truly shake this world and bring about change, he needed to create a robust patent system and encourage countless individuals to liberate their hidden technologies through a lineage of innovation. Only then could magic, a technology beyond comprehension, be deciphered bit by bit with wisdom, leading to the kind of beautiful world Durin hoped for.
Upon hearing Durin's words, Alyssa quickly said, "You misunderstand, Director Durin. I don't have any intention of acquiring the film-making technology. My purpose for coming here is actually similar to that of the Southern Region guild master's. I hope you can also make a movie about adventurers for the Northern Region!"
Indeed, upon learning about movies for the first time, Alyssa felt like she had discovered a new world. She had never imagined such a thing existed in their world, a medium that could turn stories into visual experiences for people to watch.
Upon learning about the changes in the Southern Region Adventurers Guild, she immediately had the idea to seek out Durin, the filmmaker. And all of this was for one thing...
"To be honest, our situation in the Northern Region is quite different from that in the South. Almost every day, young boys and girls from the villages come running to the adventurer guilds in the towns, eager to make a name for themselves in the adventurer field with their own strength. But the monsters in the Northern Region are far more terrifying than those in the South. Even defeating the lowest-level goblin requires at least one experienced adventurer to lead the way to safely complete the mission."
"However, while the adventurer guild has always guided novice adventurers, hoping they would make more rational judgments about their abilities, lately, a large number of adventure novels from the capital city have flooded the South. These novels have no basis in reality, purely the brainchild of creators. They became popular overnight."
"As a result, our adventurer guild suddenly saw an influx of young people who have read too many of these adventure hero novels. They firmly believe in what the novels describe, completely disregarding our guild's warnings. They even think that we, the ignorant adults, are trying to hinder their path to becoming future heroes by saying such shocking things. They organize teams privately and start adventuring."
"As a result, the mortality rate of new adventurers in our Northern Region Adventurers Guild has skyrocketed at a terrifying pace. However, the guild cannot force these new adventurers to refrain from taking on missions, nor can we gain the upper hand in propaganda. After all, compared to the somewhat entertaining novels, our guild's warnings simply aren't compelling enough."
"Therefore, when I heard about the movie mentioned by the Southern Region guild master during the last report, I immediately thought of this incident. That's why I came to the South seeking help. I hope Director Durin can make a movie for the Northern Region that reflects the real life of adventurers, not like the adventurer life in the South, where monsters are rarely seen, but a realistic and brutal movie that matches the environment of the Northern Region!"