Across the street from the former Nosrick Grand Theater, now the Nosrick Cinema, a new tavern has opened.
However, calling it a tavern isn't entirely accurate—it's actually the headquarters of Edward Film Studio.
Of course, the true headquarters is on the second floor, while the first floor appears to be just an ordinary tavern.
This property originally belonged to the Baniel family, but when they heard that Edward was looking for a place to set up the studio's headquarters, they eagerly offered this prime location to him.
After all, with countless people visiting the Nosrick Cinema daily, property prices on this street were skyrocketing.
Purchasing a property directly across from the cinema would have been nearly impossible under normal circumstances.
This gesture shows how much the Baniel family valued their relationship with Edward, and their choice proved to be wise.
Because of this, Edward eventually decided to establish a long-term partnership with Nosrick Cinema, with future ventures likely expanding from this very cinema.
Once he acquired the storefront, Edward quickly transformed the first floor into a regular tavern to accommodate guests leaving the cinema.
This allowed him to receive feedback from the audience almost instantly, like a live review wall.
All the thoughts from viewers who had just seen KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! would reach Edward's ears immediately.
Additionally, the occasional appearance of actors like Zat and Aya helped the tavern quickly become the most popular spot in Nosrick, far exceeding Edward's expectations.
Another reason for the tavern's success was its staff: Belldia and Wiz!
That's right, after growing tired of their violent and tumultuous lives, this undead duo longed for a simple and peaceful existence.
Although they were initially unsure about running a tavern, they discovered that they were surprisingly good at it.
Wiz, who had been a high-ranking mage in life, had a natural knack for management, especially in handling finances accurately.
Her charming appearance as the tavern's hostess also made her unexpectedly popular.
Belldia, despite his inhuman appearance and aura of death, didn't seem as intimidating to the fans of KonoSuba who frequented the cinema.
Instead, they were thrilled to interact with the movie's big boss.
Thanks to their fan goggles, these viewers didn't see Belldia as a frightening monster but rather as a beloved character whose knightly behavior in the film had won them over.
Encountering him in person became a highlight, though it took Belldia some time to get used to this new reality.
Now, the tavern run by these two undead has become a signature attraction of Nosrick Cinema.
It's an experience everyone wants to try—imagine watching a movie and then having the big boss from the film serve you a drink.
That's truly a royal-level experience.
Especially since this big boss is actually a super powerful entity, knowing that would be something to brag about for months, though most people remain unaware.
In this atmosphere, it was inevitable that word got out about Edward Film Studio' presence on the tavern's second floor.
After all, it wasn't just the actors who regularly visited the second floor—Baniel himself would occasionally drop by.
Anyone paying attention could see something was up with the tavern.
However, with two top-tier undead guarding the place and Edward being a Grand Mage, no one dared to cause trouble.
Even if some mages tried to investigate, a retired big boss with the instincts of a sixth-tier swordsman would swiftly shut down any spell-casting attempts, throwing them into the nearby Pleasure District if they persisted.
After a few incidents like this, even the most stubborn individuals refrained from any further mischief.
For true fans, just seeing the actors in person was already a delight.
...
On the second floor of Edward Film Studio' tavern, Edward finished writing the last word on his script, breathed a long sigh of relief, and stood up.
Despite the constant noise from the tavern below, as a Grand Mage, Edward could easily block out unnecessary distractions.
For a true Grand Mage, even a bustling marketplace could be a place for deep meditation.
This fundamental difference in talent is why there are so few Grand Mages compared to High Mage.
After stretching a bit, Edward carefully organized the script for his new movie, then walked to the window to admire the bustling scene outside the cinema.
It had been about a week since the premiere of KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!
In this short time, the new film industry had taken off at a rapid pace, and the financial gains were visibly increasing.
Especially since Edward had originally targeted the general public as his audience, the movie's buzz was spreading far and wide.
People from surrounding villages and nearby towns were traveling great distances just to see what this magical thing called a "movie" was all about.
Those who had already seen it were so captivated that they couldn't help but go again.
As for the newcomers... they quickly found themselves just as enthralled.
With such overwhelming support, KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! quickly surpassed the 1,000 gold mark in box office revenue.
This growth wasn't expected to slow down in the coming months; it was only projected to rise.
Many locals in Nosrick still hadn't seen the film, and these potential viewers would gradually be drawn in by the mounting buzz, eventually becoming the next wave of moviegoers.
Moreover, the Adventurers' Guild and Nosrick Cinema had decided to start promoting the film, aiming to expand the industry from Nosrick to the entire Southern Territory, making the millions of people there potential moviegoers!
When that happens, the wealth generated by the movie will far exceed the current thousands.
As for the Southern Territory Adventurers' Guild, the agency holding the distribution rights, their strategy was clear: They would begin by contacting all the theaters in the region, asking if they were interested in screening the film.
If they agreed, that would be ideal, and everyone would profit together.
If they refused, the backup plan was already in place—Edward's suggestion of outdoor screenings.
This tactic would almost certainly cause conflict with local powers.
After all, this new form of entertainment would directly draw audiences away from traditional theater and opera.
If these old industries couldn't adapt to the changing times, they would face a devastating blow.
The potential for conflict and friction is inevitable.
While the Adventurers' Guild hopes to avoid this, if push comes to shove, they won't hesitate to act.
After all, it's all about profits.
If you stand in the way of our progress, sorry, but you need to go.
It's as simple as that.
Though it sounds harsh, that's the reality.
In this war without smoke, showing mercy to the enemy is cruelty to yourself.
No one will yield an inch.
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