Chapter 40: The Movie Craze in the Southern Region
Upon hearing Alyssa's words, Durin couldn't help but be taken aback. He hadn't expected her to make such a request at this moment, and while he knew he could fulfill it, he was caught off guard by the timing. His mind was already brewing ideas for a new film that would meet her requirements.
However, regardless of his thoughts, "Konosuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World" was still being aired, and plans for the TV adaptation were underway. To suddenly shift focus and start a new film...
Seeing Durin's dilemma, Alyssa quickly added, "I understand my request is quite demanding, but I'm counting on you, Director Durin. This concerns the lives of many novice adventurers. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come all the way to the Southern Region. If you can fulfill my request, I can promise you anything within my power as the guild master of the Northern Region Adventurers Guild."
Alyssa's words revealed her determination in this matter, and upon hearing them, Durin nodded after some consideration. "Well, the filming for the TV adaptation of 'Konosuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World' is set for the winter. We could use the few months' break here to shoot another film."
"Really?!"
Upon hearing Alyssa's excitement, Durin simply replied, "Of course, I already have ideas for the script. The only issue is the actors. Currently, I don't have enough actors on hand. Can I recruit actors from your Northern Region Adventurers Guild?"
"Of course, that's not a problem. I'll gather adventurers on behalf of the guild," Alyssa promptly assured him.
With the situation clarified, Durin nodded. "Then I'll go back and work on the script. Can you stay here for a few days? I plan to go with you to the Northern Region to scout filming locations and discuss other matters once the script is ready. The auditions for actors should start as soon as possible."
"Of course, the Adventurers Guild can still function even if the guild master is away," Alyssa replied matter-of-factly.
Though Alyssa's words seemed natural, the Southern Region guild master couldn't help but show a subtle expression.
...
Over these few days, "Konosuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World" had spread like wildfire throughout the entire Southern Region. Almost every merchant passing through Norsrick and fortunate enough to see the film would proudly display the promotional flyers from the Norsrick cinema on their carts, boasting of their special experience.
Consequently, during this time, the concept of movies not only became widely known in Norsrick but also spread beyond its borders like a virus. Many who had only heard travelers boast about it were now pounding their chests and regretting not paying a hefty sum for a teleportation gate to Norsrick just to witness this phenomenon called a movie.
In just a few days, "Konosuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World" had ignited a craze in Norsrick. The movie's plot became the topic of discussion among young people and adventurers during their leisure time. Even some aristocratic mages, who were willing to condescend to enjoy the film, began practicing fireball spells at home. Merchants seized the opportunity to introduce prop weapons identical to those in the movie, and replicas of the protagonist's clothing began appearing in numerous clothing stores. These so-called peripherals were ingeniously invented by the people of this world without any guidance.
In this environment, Lawrence's monster shop undoubtedly reaped the most bountiful rewards. His monsters, originally intended for admiration, were sold out within days. Customers rushed to buy them at a terrifying rate, surpassing the speed of grabbing food in a canteen. For the first time in his life, Lawrence, the shop owner who had never experienced money falling from the sky, wore a smile that was both happy and painful. The happiness stemmed from making money, while the pain came from seeing his cherished monsters being sold off one by one, with no chance of ever seeing them again. Nonetheless, this was a far cry from his previous near-bankrupt state, and he couldn't be happier about it.
In summary, with the airing of "Konosuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World" as a catalyst, this new form of entertainment, movies, began to spread like an extremely contagious virus, attracting all those interested and uninterested in movies alike, as if they were drawn to each other by a magnetic force.
...
The carriage slowly entered the streets of Norsrick.
Inside the carriage, a golden-haired girl dressed in a nun's habit looked around curiously. Her lively eyes reflected the scenery of the city, and unsurprisingly, she heard similar discussions on the streets.
"Did you go to see 'Konosuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World' yesterday? Let's go together today!"
"Why bother? You've seen it three times already, haven't you? Isn't ticket-snatching tiring?"
"Nowadays, with the expansion of theaters in Norsrick, getting tickets isn't as difficult. And don't you find the story interesting? Aren't the female protagonists adorable?! Even if I watch it ten times, I won't get tired of it!!!"
Such discussions about movies had been spreading between towns for days. Wherever the girl went, the first thing she heard was always about movies and "Konosuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World."
To be honest, this was an experience the girl had never had before. As the only daughter of the Southern Region Duke, Daphne had always led a simple yet complicated life. Simple, in the sense that noble life left no room for anything unnecessary, and complicated, because noble life was filled with things she couldn't quite grasp—whether it was basic etiquette, social interactions, or the practice of being an extraordinary individual, everything seemed dull and colorless.
Because of this, Daphne had tried every means to escape from the Duke's castle on her sixteenth birthday, with the help of the guards, she saw the world she had only heard about in rumors for the first time. The outside world didn't disappoint her expectations, with various fresh events attracting her attention every day, and naturally, the concept of movies also found its way into her ears.
However, upon learning about movies, she didn't develop much interest. To her, movies were simply alternative stage plays, and the operatic format of performance held no allure for Daphne, who could enjoy personal stage plays at the Duke's castle. Instead, it left her feeling sleepy, and she found herself only wanting to doze off. In her eyes, the reason why people were so interested was simply due to their limited exposure; they even managed to find abstract art interesting by force.
Nevertheless, Daphne still found herself in the town where movies supposedly existed. After all, when something keeps buzzing around your ears incessantly, you might just try it out due to irritation.
Yet, Daphne didn't have high expectations. She was more interested in witnessing firsthand how boring this thing called a movie could be.
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