Chapter 127: Release of "The Garden Of Sinners"(1)
Originally, it was an ordinary day in Norsrick, neither a festival nor marked by any special changes. However, as the lively sounds from the Norsrick cinema spread, the entire town suddenly became bustling.
"What's going on? Why so much excitement? Is there a new movie out? But didn't they say the second half of 'Fate Zero' wouldn't be out until winter?"
"You haven't heard? They were just discussing it. Apparently, every tavern in Norsrick now has something called a 'television' installed, and they're about to start showing a new movie that's set in the same world as 'Fate Zero.'"
"What? A television! Seriously, why didn't you say so earlier? We probably can't even find seats now!"
With murmurs rising in the crowd, the residents who were previously idle or going about their own business quickly began searching the streets for taverns. In no time, every tavern equipped with the peculiar alchemical device called a television was packed to capacity. Those unable to get in began frantically searching for the next tavern, only to be surprised to find that many new taverns had opened along familiar streets, seemingly prepared from the outset for the premiere of the new movie.
---
Inside the Edward Tavern, much like the others, this establishment was now furnished with a magical alchemical device called a television. Some fortunate guests who managed to squeeze inside marveled at it, while in the center of the room, Durin and others occupied the prime seats. Given that this was the beginning of a new era, Durin even invited Winry, who had been managing the castle at home and was instrumental in his endeavors.
"When does it start? I drank too much juice earlier, and I'm worried I'll need to use the restroom..."
Soon, as more people gathered, Helena, nearby, couldn't help but complain and lean in.
Seeing Helena's impatient approach, Durin calmly placed a hand on her shoulder and turned to Zat next to him, saying, "If you need to go, just go... Zat, help manage the guests. Once the place is full, close the tavern and direct them elsewhere. I've already considered the town's population when preparing for this."
"Okay... I will!"
Despite Zat's reluctance to handle the extra work, he couldn't refuse Durin's command. He swiftly dove into the crowded throng, managing the chaos and maintaining order. However, even with his efforts, patrons continued pouring in at an alarming rate. Edward Tavern had become the most renowned spot in town, and naturally, it was the first choice for many. This prompted the staff from places like Beldia, Juno, Wiz, and Saiki to take action, swiftly organizing the crowd, politely guiding excess patrons out, and promptly closing the doors once the tavern was at capacity. This allowed the small tavern, already not very spacious, to accommodate just enough people to view the television.
As tranquility finally settled in, Durin, seated at the head, let out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, amidst the crowd, he spotted a familiar petite figure. Surprised, he hurried over and realized it was Daphne, who he hadn't seen in ages. Curiously, her escort from the last visit was nowhere to be seen.
Upon seeing Durin, Daphne breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, I finally found you, Durin."
"What's going on? Sneaking out of the family again?" Durin asked with a hint of exasperation.
"Haha... busted again... What can I say? I heard you were showing a new film, so of course, I had to rush over!" Daphne replied.
Durin felt both exasperated and amused by the daughter of the duke repeatedly sneaking out of her family's estate. He gestured for her to take a seat in the center, but due to the lack of space, he jokingly said, "No seats left, you want to sit on the floor?"
"Eh..." Daphne looked bemused.
Seeing her puzzled expression, Durin chuckled, "Just kidding. Well, since Beldia doesn't need a chair, you two can share."
"..."
In the midst of the chaos, as order gradually restored and the image on the television screen began to clear, it became evident that the television station at the Alchemy Tower was adjusting the magical signal. Soon enough, a clear and visible image appeared on the screen, marking the official start of the television premiere.
....
"Damn it! The school hall is packed with people! Where else can we find a TV?!"
"Yeah, the lecture hall is packed too, I'm going crazy!!"
"I heard every Archmage in the Mage Tower has their own dedicated TV signal station, this is so unfair!!"
"If it's unfair, go complain to the Dean or tell Senior Durin!"
"Yeah, I heard the Alchemy Tower has special TVs. I regret not choosing Alchemy now!!"
"Wait! Hurry to the Alchemy Tower, I heard they just set up new TVs outside!!"
With these words echoing, the mage students across the entire academy dashed towards the Alchemy Tower as if racing to the cafeteria. In reality, under Scar's leadership, the Alchemy Tower promptly set up additional TV signal stations and used existing imaging crystals for a live broadcast, not much different from the recent innovative film screenings.
In the frenzy, once students found the TVs, they either stood or simply sat on the ground, eager to enjoy the new film.
Unbeknownst to most students, since the TV was just developed, the airing of "The Garden Of Sinners" would loop with films like "Konosuba" and "Goblin Slayer," recently removed from cinemas. Yet, even if they knew, they'd probably still vie for the premiere viewing opportunity.
Soon after, as time passed the previewed timeline, indicating the time, Scar, preparing at the TV station, ordered the attendees to activate the central magic formation. They transmitted the crystal's imagery.
---
At Edward's Tavern, the TV first showed Edward Productions and Alchemy Academy's logos, as planned by Durin from the beginning, partly preparing for future advertising.
Indeed, for Durin, even if not for earning advertising fees, he would still accept various advertisements. After all, isn't the purpose of watching TV to watch commercials? The films shown on TV are just a break for you to go to the restroom....
In Durin's mind, countless times he had envisioned what future TV screens would look like. As the title "The Garden Of Sinners" gradually flashed across the screen, the voices in the tavern instantly quieted down. Soon after, the premiere of "The Garden Of Sinners" officially began.
The opening scene introduced the main characters, with no noticeable fluctuations. Viewers who had grown accustomed to the purely explanatory style of "Fate/Zero" didn't raise any objections this time; they silently watched the plot unfold.
In fact, although the opening of "The Garden Of Sinners" also lacked any significant ups and downs, it managed to engage the audience due to the way it set up the events and introduced suspense. The only thing that confused some viewers was the peculiar attire of the female protagonist, something they hadn't seen in real life.
Naturally, this was due to Durin's meticulous attention to detail in replicating Shiki's kimono and even her red jacket as faithfully as possible from the original work. These outfits were completely different from the mainstream attire of this fantasy world. While previous films had their share of unusual clothing, they generally adhered to the fantasy world's aesthetic. This unique approach in "The Garden Of Sinners" was likely to spark a new activity called cosplay.
Overall, although most people in the audience didn't find fault with the slow-paced plot, as the film continued, an unexpected voice suddenly interjected:
"It's quite strange. This movie feels completely different in style from the films you've previously directed, Director Durin. How should I put it... Previous films like 'Fate/Zero' had a clear main storyline that made it easy to understand what would happen next. But with this 'The Garden Of Sinners,' I've been watching for so long and still don't know what it's trying to convey."
Upon hearing this sudden critique, Durin quickly turned around to find that Chase had also arrived at the tavern, seemingly eager to catch the film's premiere. In fact, during this period, the members of the Snowflake Troupe should have been training with the sequel to "Fate/Zero" that Durin had sent them.
Seeing Durin's confusion, Chase simply smiled and said, "I wasn't planning to come, but I couldn't resist my curiosity about the new film. Luckily, this tavern wasn't packed yet, so I came right in..."
Acknowledging Chase's explanation, Durin refocused his attention on the television screen and continued, "Uh, well, you're right. The biggest difference with 'The Garden of Sinners' compared to my previous works is that this film doesn't intend to tell a straightforward story at all. All the clues are chaotic and require viewers to watch repeatedly. That's also why I chose to premiere it on television, a new medium for film and television. Overall, while the main storyline isn't very clear, I think its excitement level is comparable to 'Fate/Zero,' albeit in a completely different style, so they're not really comparable."
Before Chase could fully respond to Durin's high praise, the plot on the television screen shifted. As Shiki Ryougi discovered an unusual state with Mikiya Kokuto, she hurried towards a sealed building. Due to the limitations of the era's filming locations, Durin, though eager to authentically recreate 'The Garden of Sinners,' could only use similar visuals to capture the first battle scene of 'The Garden of Sinners.'
In fact, this exemplified the saying that anything done has the potential for success, even in such a completely different world. Durin successfully recreated the feeling of a changing era from 'The Garden of Sinners,' aligning the overall style with the original work.
Of course, this brought about an overall dark and eerie atmosphere to the film's style. When the boss-like figure, Kirie Fujou, suddenly appeared for the first time, many in the audience were startled. Aya and Daphne almost instinctively recoiled, perfectly illustrating what it meant to be startled.
"Yikes! Is that a ghost? It must be a ghost. Do ghosts fear fire magic?"
Regarding Helena's astonishment, Laetitia, who had been silently sitting in the corner, just smirked and said, "Incorporeal undead don't fear fire magic. A blast of holy light might make them disappear on the spot."
"What? They're not afraid of fire magic?!"
Seeing Helena's panicked expression, Laetitia added slowly, "Of course, non-corporeal undead usually pose little threat to normal people. Even if they have an urge to attack, they can only pass through human bodies. On the other hand, the soul energy of malevolent spirits is so powerful that it can interfere with reality, which is why they can be destroyed by elemental magic."
"I see now. But why was the girl named Shiki Ryogi controlled by a ghost in this movie?"
To this question from the orthodox mage, Laetitia simply diverted the topic to Durin: "How would I know? You'll have to ask the person who crafted this story."
Upon hearing this, the people present immediately looked curiously at Durin, who had been quietly watching the movie. He looked around at the curious faces, utterly bewildered, and after a long pause, he chose to stay silent. After all, only he knew that he didn't create this story himself, and due to the differences in worldviews, he couldn't possibly provide a convincing answer to the audience.
Meanwhile, at the Imperial Mage Academy, where they were also watching "The Garden of Sinners" at the same time, a group of mages were engaged in a discussion that presented a completely different style from the mostly casual atmosphere in the tavern.
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