Chapter 102: The Premiere of "Fate Zero" (2)
Picor is a young magician who has just obtained the qualification to enter the Imperial Mage Academy, and he is also the eldest son of a noble family in the Imperial Capital.
As the only one in his generation of the family with magical talent, he is almost certain to be the heir to the title of nobility. However, deep down, he harbors vastly different ambitions. His true aspiration is to become a powerful mage who leaves a mark in history. He has no interest in simply graduating from the Imperial Mage Academy with mediocre grades and then inheriting his family's estate.
For him, if he has decided to study magic, he naturally wants to excel in it. Moreover, rather than being a boring nobleman, he would prefer to be an adventurous mage exploring the unknown.
However, convincing his family is not an easy task. Since they have already set their sights on him, they will not easily let him go. In such a scenario, his only viable option is undoubtedly to join the Mage Tower and become a true Imperial Mage.
Although this seems like a daunting task, and it's rare for a graduate of the Imperial Mage Academy to qualify to join the Mage Tower, for Picor, this is his only chance.
Of course, for him, if he fails to become a mage and can only return to inherit the family business, it is a result he can reluctantly accept.
Why do people always have to face such painful choices? He often wonders...
In any case, today, after proudly becoming a new student of the Imperial Mage Academy, Picor has resolved to study magic diligently. However, this determination is already beginning to waver.
"Picor, let's go to the main square to watch a movie together."
Dylan, his roommate, rushes in from outside, grabs Picor who was about to meditate on his bed, and drags him out. Outside the dormitory building, various new students are also walking in groups towards the distant main square.
"A movie? What's that?"
Clearly, because Picor is so focused on becoming a powerful mage, he hasn't even paid attention to the trailer looping at the school gate. So, even though everyone knows there's a movie to watch tonight, he wears an expression of "What are you talking about? Am I dreaming?"
"In any case, you'll find out once you're there."
Without giving his roommate time to comprehend the situation, Dylan pulled Picor into the crowded main square. Watching the almost awe-inspiring scene in the distance, Picor couldn't help but murmur, "The last time I saw so many people gathered together was during the Imperial Capital's founding ceremony..."
Similarly, it wasn't just Picor who was awed by the crowded scene. Most of the new students who had just arrived also seemed very impressed. After all, students from the Imperial Capital might have seen similar scenes before, but those from the other four regions were truly experiencing something new.
While the setup of the viewing platform and seats, which had been arranged long before, surprised the large group of new students, some returning students who had arrived early also showed surprised expressions. Or perhaps they were even more surprised because these things hadn't existed before they left the academy.
Anyway, with several staff members from the Norsrick Cinema guiding the students to their seats and handing out viewing manuals, the originally lively scene didn't seem chaotic at all. Instead, it remained orderly.
Sitting down, Picor first flipped through the viewing manual in his hand, then anxiously asked, "What's this thing called a movie... Does it have any significance?"
"Um, I don't know, but since everyone's here, I just came along, haha."
Dylan wasn't from the Southern Region, so naturally, he didn't know what a movie was either. At this moment, most people around them were in similar situations, driven here purely by the atmosphere without knowing what a movie was.
"Ah, is it just a waste of time, then? I'll leave first..."
In the instant Picor realized the situation, determined to become a great mage, he turned around intending to leave immediately and go back to his meditation. However, almost simultaneously, the gigantic screen in the distance began to display images.
In that moment, whether they were genuinely anticipating "Fate Zero" or just caught up in the atmosphere, everyone without exception was now gazing at the slowly emerging bright screen in the distance.
After all, most people were curious about the technology behind it when they watched the trailer before, and now, with the actual film, they've even skipped the step of using imaging crystals directly, leaving everyone in awe.
"What... What is this?"
Equally curious as a magician, Picor couldn't contain his curiosity about the technology that could project images. As the plot of the movie gradually unfolded before everyone's eyes, he couldn't help but wonder, "Is this... a story? Or is it happening in reality?"
Seeing Picor sit back in his seat with curiosity, Dylan, his roommate, first smiled subtly, then replied, "According to the movie manual, it should be a story, all performed by actors."
"So, is this just a play?"
"Well, you could understand it that way..."
Instantly, a hint of disappointment crossed Picor's face. As a noble, he knew all too well what a stage play was and how boring it could be. Only the middle-aged aristocrats accustomed to noble life enjoyed such things.
Just as Picor thought this movie would be as soporific as a stage play, he unexpectedly found it to be quite entertaining as the plot slowly delved into the Holy Grail War.
Indeed, including Picor, all the students aspiring to be magicians in attendance realized how intricate the story's plot was. Whether it was the impending "Holy Grail War" hinted at by the protagonists' dialogue or the world of "magicians" depicted in the story, they were curious and eager.
Yes, in terms of initial impressions, the reactions of these young people with magical abilities were completely different from those of ordinary people watching the movie in the North and South regions. They almost immediately found themselves immersed in the different magical world depicted in "Fate/Zero."
This difference in perception was due to the logical reasoning of the magicians themselves. To them, the magicians portrayed in "Fate/Zero" were quite fascinating, representing a world of magic that they could appreciate more than ordinary people.
It was under the influence of this difference in perception that the lengthy prologue of "Fate/Zero" directly captivated the appetite of everyone present, whether they were freshmen or seniors, or even old magicians who sneaked into the venue. At this moment, they all quietly enjoyed this work that completely overturned the worldview of these magicians.
Of course, even in such intense focus, occasional discussions were inevitable.
"According to the current plot, this Holy Grail War seems to be a massive summoning ritual, with the immense magical power capable of summoning Heroic Spirits and granting the victor the ability to fulfill any wish. But isn't that unlikely? What about the conservation of magical energy?"
"It's called a miracle, remember? Miracles can't be judged by ordinary standards."
"Yeah, didn't they say this is just a story? Anyone trying to find truth in a fictional story must have something wrong with their head!"
"But the settings in this movie so far have been extremely well-developed. Why would such a big loophole appear in the main setting of the Holy Grail War?"
"Let's just keep watching. Right now, I really hope that old geezer who looks like a rotten worm gets what's coming to him. And that little girl, how could she be abandoned in such a place? Doesn't he have a conscience?"
"There are plenty of people like him in real life too. I heard the previous generation's headmaster once advocated for immortalizing magicians, trying to make all magicians immortal to create an eternal magic empire. Although he was later judged for it, that old headmaster probably lost his true intentions because of the pursuit of immortality. After all, the success rate of immortality is extremely low, and if it were to be widely promoted, it would inevitably require a large number of test subjects..."
"Let's stop talking and keep watching. By the way, isn't the clock tower scene set in our academy? Even though it's my first day here, it looks so familiar..."
"That grand library, I remember it's inside the Tower of Mage. I've been in there when I was on duty last time."
"Hey, senior, do we students have the qualification to enter the Tower of Mage? I'm so jealous, I want to go in too!"
"It's not like it's a tourist attraction. If you want to go in, go earn the qualification yourself!"
...
Various discussions circulated around the square, which in a way highlighted Durin's correct decision. Despite the lengthy prologue of "Fate/Zero" being potentially off-putting to regular audiences, it was actually more attractive to logical-minded mages and aspiring mages-to-be.
And that was exactly what Durin wanted. After all, with a gradual understanding of the setting, their interest would naturally shift to the various forms of magic described in the story. Due to Durin's slight modifications to various magical elements in the story, aligning them more with alchemy, he wasn't worried about these mages not developing an interest in alchemy if they enjoyed "Fate/Zero."
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