"Lord Edward, it's time for dinner."
The maid's voice came from outside.
Upon hearing this, Edward, who had just left the secluded room, immediately felt a sense of urgency and briskly descended the stairs.
As the castle's only maid, Winry was an orphan taken in by the previous Durin Family Baron. She had grown up in the Durin Family's castle and had a deep loyalty to the family. She also had genuine concern for Edward, who was her childhood friend.
From the beginning when the entire family had high hopes for him to the time he returned from the Mage Tower, after disappointing everyone, Edward's state at that period was well known.
Therefore, with a determination to take care of her master in every way possible before he emerged from the shadows, Winry had done everything she could during that time.
Whether it was handling the affairs as a proxy lord or engaging in public negotiations with other nobles, along with taking care of Edward's daily life, if it weren't for Winry managing the logistics of the castle, the Durin Family might have declined long ago after the old Durin Family Baron passed away.
And for the current Edward, Winry was the only light in his darkness. To him, she was the one who gave some meaning to his otherwise boring life.
At this moment, as Edward rushed down the high tower without even being out of breath, he leaned against the wall and said, "I'm here, thank you for your hard work, Winry."
"Um, it's no problem; it's my duty..."
Winry couldn't help but make a strange expression. For her, Edward had recently changed so drastically that he was like a different person. He was not only willing to listen to her talk about trivial matters but also became more outgoing in his behavior and actions. While he still refused to deal with various matters in the castle, he was no longer locking himself in his room as before.
Although she felt that the changes in the young man were too drastic, she was just glad that her master had emerged from his state of despair. She continued to diligently perform her duties as a maid, without any laziness.
On the other side, looking at the meticulous golden-haired girl in front of him, Edward, who felt like his entire being had been healed, seemed to completely forget that he was in a world without computers or phones. He began to think that his current life was not bad at all.
Yes, the Edward of the past, who was an anime enthusiast, was an outright blonde lover and had a maid fetish. Now, these two elements were concentrated in Winry, who stood before him. He couldn't think of a place happier than this.
"Ah, if only she had animal ears, like a loli with golden hair and animal ears... Hehehe..."
Seeing Edward unconsciously entering a perverted state, Winry, who had grown accustomed to this situation, could only sigh and raise her eyebrows. She then continued, "Lord Edward, a few days ago, I declined an invitation to a banquet from the Southern Territory Duke on your behalf. But it seems that the Duke is rather displeased. Our days ahead may be difficult."
"Let him be. In the end, even the Southern Territory Duke has no right to meddle in the affairs of fellow nobles."
"But, Lord Edward, the debt your father incurred in the past..."
Yes, the late Durin Family Baron had accumulated a considerable amount of debt to nurture Edward and his younger brother, El, before he passed away. Although this debt could have been repaid through public funds if Edward had graduated from the Mage Tower and become an official Imperial Mage, after Edward was expelled from the Mage Tower, the current Durin Family no longer had the ability to repay this debt.
"Lord Edward, the Southern Territory Duke has always held you in high regard. If Lord Edward is willing..."
"It's impossible!"
Before Winry could finish her sentence, Edward responded firmly, "The relations between the Empire's four territories and the capital are not good, especially with the new king ascending the throne. Conflicts are inevitable, and choosing sides at this time is simply a death wish. Even though I was once known as the fastest genius to become a Grand Mage at the Mage Tower, in the face of war, I'm just a disposable pawn."
Indeed, Edward was well aware of his current standing and the risks behind gaining the favor of a Duke. While it might seem like a good thing, upon closer examination, the potential dangers were evident.
If Edward, as Durin Family Baron, declared his allegiance, it would be the entire Durin Family that would be implicated.
Understanding her master's determination, Winry nodded reluctantly and sighed, "But what about the debts? The harvests in our domain haven't been good in recent years, and with the economic decline in the Southern Territory, we may soon be unable to even pay the commissions of our knights."
Winry spoke the truth. Since the late Durin Family Baron's passing, the Durin Family's financial situation had been deteriorating day by day. While nobles often had significant private fortunes, a marginal family like the Edwards, who had no connections to the formal noble circles, did not possess such wealth. Hence, when Winry mentioned they had no money, it meant the Durin Family was truly on the brink of financial ruin.
At that moment, Edward, who had been steadily walking forward, suddenly stopped and turned to Winry, saying, "Winry, do you have any ideas on how we can get through this crisis?"
Upon hearing Edward's straightforward question, Winry paused, then replied, "Aside from the idea of aligning with the Southern Territory Duke, Lord El, who enlisted in the military many years ago, might have a solution. But, to be honest, I hope Lord Edward, if you would leave the castle now. Even if there are consequences afterward, it would be difficult for the nobles to trace you if you were to disappear."
Regarding the girl's suggestion, Edward responded calmly, "You're wrong, Winry. Always depending on others is not a good habit, and avoidance is not a solution. Anyway, tell me approximately how much debt we owe now?"
"Taking interest into account, we owe more than 50,000 gold coins. But the current Durin Family only has less than 2,000 gold coins left after deducting daily expenses. Even if we were to sell our castle and land, it wouldn't be enough to pay off the debt."
As Winry spoke, her expression grew a bit somber, and Edward fell into deep thought.
According to the exchange rate of this world, even if he were to write a very successful novel from now on, it would only earn him a four-figure sum. So, what else could he do?
"I guess I have no choice but to start planning to make anime," he thought to himself.
As it was an industry yet to be explored in this world, Edward was confident he could achieve absolute success in the initial business battles, provided the anime he produced was popular.
With that thought in mind, Edward suddenly turned and rushed back in the direction he had come from, leaving the surprised Winry behind.
...
For the next several days, Edward seemed to revert to his old self, locking himself in his room and rarely leaving it. Winry could only see him during meal times, and after eating, Edward would rush back to his room without delay.
About five days later, Edward finally emerged from his room, carrying a thick stack of manuscripts, looking exhausted. He stumbled and turned to Winry, who had been waiting outside the door.
"Win- Winry, give me some water."
"Of course, my lord!"
Thinking that Edward had been upset about the debt again, Winry refrained from discussing the topic and silently helped him to the living room.
"Glug, glug, glug..."
Edward, feeling utterly drained, drank from two pitchers of water before finally letting out a long sigh and said, "Hahaha! I've finally finished the scripts!"
That's right, during these five days, Edward had exhausted all his memories, writing scripts for several anime series. To ensure he wouldn't forget, he also organized an outline for all the different isekai anime that he remembered in a specific format.
Luckily, in this world with a certain level of paper-making technology, paper wasn't very expensive. However, Winry and even ordinary commoners could read and write.
Consequently, upon glancing at the pile of papers, Winry couldn't help but focus on it.
At the top of this thick stack of papers, she could clearly read, "The filming of the anime adaptation of 'Fullmetal Alchemist' Season 1 has been temporarily postponed due to a lack of props."
On the other side of this thick stack of papers, there was another smaller bundle of scripts, neatly placed there. It was an outline for a proposal to shoot the anime adaptation of "KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!" Season 1 in another world.
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