Chapter 155: News of the Frost Film Festival Released!
After filming four movies in a row, Durin felt like he was back in his high school days, staying up late every night, cramming for exams just to score one more point.
Every day, he was faced with an overwhelming amount of work waiting for him to tackle.
Every morning when he woke up, the first thing he did was immediately check his work reports, sifting through the seemingly endless number of tasks that made his head spin just at a glance.
Thankfully, Chase, as a new generation director, had gained a lot of experience from filming Fate/Zero and The Garden of Sinners, helping to shoulder a significant portion of the workload.
Otherwise, Durin feared that one day he might just collapse and die on set.
To shoot four films, he was constantly shuttling between Norsrick, the Imperial Mage Academy, and Arkanse.
For every key aspect of the shooting process, even if he wasn't the main person in charge, he would at least oversee it to ensure that the footage met his expectations.
After working day and night like this, Durin finally…
Collapsed from exhaustion!
...
"Where am I?"
Groggily waking up in bed, Durin opened his eyes and saw a familiar ceiling.
He remembered that the first time he had crossed over, this was the exact scene he had seen.
"So, I'm back at the castle?"
Muttering to himself, Durin had just begun to relax when, in the next moment, his eyes snapped open, and he bolted upright in bed.
At that moment, he immediately glanced around and then murmured in surprise:
"The castle? Edward Castle? How did I get here? Wasn't I just filming Steins;Gate at the Imperial Mage Academy?"
As Durin found himself completely bewildered, unable to recall what had just happened, Winry entered the room, carrying a tray of warm food.
The moment she saw that Durin was awake, she exclaimed loudly:
"Ah, Lord Edward, you're awake! Your health is in bad shape; you need to stay in bed and rest."
"Rest? Me?"
Forced to lie back down under Winry's care, Durin asked in astonishment:
"Winry, how did I get back?"
In response to Durin's question, Winry, while feeding him, replied:
"Mr. Roy brought you back. They said you suddenly collapsed while filming at the Academy. The students called a lecturer, the lecturer called the dean, and finally, the dean sent Mr. Roy to bring you back."
"I collapsed?"
Completely at a loss, it took Durin a while to realize just how weak he felt.
Upon reflecting, Durin realized that over the past two weeks, he had been entirely consumed by the movies, leaving no time to rest. He was only sleeping two or three hours each day, living a life more grueling than even Scar, who was known for his relentless work ethic.
Given this, it seemed only natural that his body would break down, even for someone as powerful as him, a grand mage.
Now that he was sure he had collapsed due to exhaustion, Durin immediately tried to sit up.
There was still so much to do with the film crew. His absence would undoubtedly disrupt the entire production process, possibly even bringing it to a halt.
So, in order to ensure all the films were completed in time for the Frost Film Festival a month from now, Durin gritted his teeth, determined to get up and head back to the set.
Seeing this, Winry, who usually treated him with gentle care, firmly stopped him and raised her voice:
"Lord Edward, please don't go anywhere until you've fully recovered!"
"Don't be like this, Winry. You don't understand how important these movies are to the audience. So many people are waiting for the next films; how can I just—"
"But, Lord Edward, don't you realize how important you are to me?"
"I…"
Durin was stunned by Winry's words. He looked blankly at the girl in front of him, who was doing her best to hold back tears but still had reddened eyes. It was only then that he realized how much his collapse had worried her.
"Winry, I…"
Durin thought it over but couldn't find the words to say, not even the simple apology he felt he owed her.
He knew all too well how much Winry had suffered in this castle because of his stubbornness.
The Edward family was a minor noble house in the southern region. No matter how high Durin's personal achievements were, they couldn't elevate the family's status.
Moreover, the pressure on the Edward family had only increased recently. Durin's success with his films had blocked too many nobles' financial paths, angering the so-called "upper elite" and turning the Edward family into a target for their resentment.
The reason Durin hadn't felt this pressure himself was largely because this delicate girl had been shielding him from the storms.
Winry had done more for the Edward family than anyone else.
So, how could Durin simply say "sorry" and think it would make up for the trouble and stress his stubbornness had caused her?
Faced with Winry's stern words, Durin finally nodded slowly and replied:
"Alright, I'll listen to you. I won't go anywhere until I'm fully recovered."
"Really?"
Seeing the tearful smile on Winry's face, as if she still doubted whether he meant it, Durin could only pat her on the head. Then, stretching out with a yawn, he lay back down on the bed.
"It's been so long since I've acted like a lazy lord. I'll just take it easy for the next couple of days, Miss Winry."
Seeing Durin fully embrace his relaxed, "slacker" mode, Winry just smiled and nodded, saying:
"Of course, Lord Edward. It would be my honor to serve you."
So, for the next two days, Durin completely cleared his mind, deciding to put the movies entirely out of his thoughts. Instead, he spent his time tinkering around the castle with Winry, revisiting some of his old inventions.
In the process, Durin actually discovered a few useful items. While most weren't groundbreaking, they would make excellent props for his films.
This rare mental break also did wonders for his clarity and creativity. His mind felt sharper, and his ideas flowed more freely.
When he returned to work, he would likely have even more suggestions to make the films even better.
...
As Durin began to enjoy his long-overdue vacation, rumors about the Frost Film Festival started spreading across the southern region's towns.
"Have you heard? Director Durin is planning to release several movies at the Frost Festival all at once!"
"Really? That's amazing!"
"If it's not true, I hope it is. And if it is, I hope it's even better than we imagined!"
"Director Durin, you're the best!"
Suddenly, the entire southern region was buzzing with excitement. Countless people were talking about the films, reaching a near-frenzied state.
After all, after such a long wait, their anticipation for new movies had reached unprecedented levels. Everyone was eagerly looking forward to what was to come!
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