Although Edward seemed curious about the goblin slayer, due to the vast distance between their Southern region and the Northern region, it was impossible to know the specifics, even if there were some rumors.
Therefore, after Zat and Aya completed the adventurer procedures, they immediately left the somewhat deserted adventurers' guild.
...
In the late afternoon, on an open space outside the town of Nosrick.
"Sir– no, director, do you really want to build a watchtower here? We barely have any monsters nearby, and even if we build one..."
Hearing the words of the burly man who seemed like a foreman, Edward just smiled and nodded, saying, "Don't worry; your wages won't be cut. Just follow my ideas and build the watchtower."
Upon hearing Edward's words, the foreman, who looked at him like he was a strange person, thought for a moment but decided not to say much. After all, he was currently worried about the lack of work in the spring season. If someone was willing to pay for the construction of a watchtower, he had no reason to refuse.
What puzzled him the most was that this seemingly noble person insisted on being addressed as 'director.' Although it wasn't something unacceptable for the foreman, who had never heard this title before, he still found it strange.
"In any case, building a watchtower only requires four or five people. Adding your two assistants, I just need to find two more..."
"No, get me ten people. Don't worry, I can afford to pay. A common extra gets two silver coins for an afternoon, and I can certainly afford that."
Unexpectedly, Edward said this, making the foreman, who already thought the 'director' was a strange person, sigh in resignation. He immediately went back to the city to gather the required workforce. According to the 'director,' these people were not considered workers but extras. Although it was another strange term, the pay was substantial enough to make it acceptable.
Thus, under Edward's meticulous planning, the scene was quickly set up to resemble the environment of an anime shoot.
In this situation, Edward suddenly realized that, to film this scene, he was doing far more than what a director usually does. His responsibilities extended beyond directing performances and designing shots; he had taken on the entire workload of a live-action adaptation of an anime.
Edward had to personally find actors, handle the script, design shots, shoot and film, create props, and design special effects. This workload would likely have left an ordinary director bald, but fortunately, this was a magical world, and Edward himself was a powerful archmage. Otherwise, an average person wouldn't be able to produce a competent live-action adaptation in this era. However, it was Edward's personal commitment that allowed him to undertake such a challenge.
The reason for his persistence was not only the 50,000 debt owed by the Durin Family but also his determination to change this world. The more he interacted with the ordinary people of this world, the more dissatisfied Edward became with the mundanity that seemed to permeate their lives. Seeing people sitting on the streets sunbathing, clueless about what to do once they lost their jobs, gave him a sense of lethargy.
Despite the existence of magic and the constant tales of adventurers being sung by bards, everyone seemed accustomed to this monotonous daily routine. Though Edward understood that this was a limitation of the era, he, as someone from beyond this time, was unwilling to succumb to such a condition. Even if it was a minor change, he was willing to try. Rather than being assimilated into this mundane life, indulging in the boring power struggles and magical research every day, he preferred to spend his time on seemingly meaningless things like making anime.
After all, these were traces of his existence from another world. If he abandoned these, what right did he have to say that he had come to another world?
...
"Excavation team, get ready. That guy named Zat, hurry and get some tools."
"Has the wood been brought over?"
"Girl over there, come pour water quickly!"
As the construction of the watchtower commenced with the completion of the site, Edward, situated in a corner, tirelessly recorded the scenes. To enhance the artistic expression, he focused on capturing moments where Zat and Aya faced difficulties, although it seemed unfair to these two who were already giving their all. However, this was a precious opportunity for sacrificing oneself for art; others couldn't seize it even if they wanted to!
Yes, the unconventional filming style Edward mentioned earlier was exactly this—approaching the shooting with a practical attitude. Filming real tasks would make the resulting footage more authentic.
Though it might have been tough on Zat and Aya, the actors of this world were not like the young talents from another world. Edward had no intention of finding stand-ins for them. These tasks required their direct involvement. Moreover, this scene wasn't planned to be filmed for a long time. Edward just needed to capture a few shots before the watchtower was built, and then he could easily edit them with the fusion crystal.
"The focus of this scene is to portray the contrast between your daily life and that of adventurers, creating a comedic effect that the audience can find amusing. So, the more exaggerated the actions, the better. Make the expressions as dramatic as possible!"
During the break, Edward explained the scene to the two who were having packed lunches. Unexpectedly, even the short break time was squeezed by Edward, making Zat and Aya show exhausted expressions.
On the other side, Winry, who had been rushing around, came back with a handwritten work plan for the 'extras' on the site. For example, the work shouldn't proceed too quickly, and they didn't need to care too much about the relationships between Zat, Aya, and Edward.
In a sense, Winry had already become half an assistant director. Thinking about how to appropriately pay her later, Edward was about to step forward to praise her when Winry hurriedly ran over, handing him a towel and a water bottle, saying, "Lord Edward, you've worked hard. Remember to take a good rest."
Edward, who hadn't expected her to take care of him first, smiled wryly, took the towel and water bottle, and said, "You're the one who's worked hard, accompanying me in doing these foolish things."
"It's okay, or rather, I'm looking forward to it. Looking forward to the moment when Lord Edward's work is completed..."
Winry said, her eyes shining with a certain expectation. Understanding her thoughts, Edward just smiled, patted her head, and nodded, saying, "Don't worry; we'll see it soon!"