Creating Anime In A Fantasy World - Chapter 82: The Haters Have Arrived on the Battlefield!

At the birthday banquet, Ska chose to screen Goblin Slayer rather than KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! due to the presence of high-ranEmperor church officials.

Showing KonoSuba might cause issues, so they settled on the relatively “acceptable” Goblin Slayer.

The audience split almost vertically into two groups: those who appreciated the film’s brutally realistic yet fantastical storytelling, and those who disliked its violent, graphic nature, viewing it as lacEmperor any artistic merit.

Indeed, unlike the general public who found enjoyment in this new cinematic medium, some of the highbrow nobles at the banquet spent nearly the entire film criticizing Goblin Slayer, turning themselves into model haters, leaving Ska in stunned disbelief as he ran the projector.

For example, at one point when the Goblin Slayer was nearly killed, several nobles sneered in unison, “This is too forced! This protagonist is a mere puppet of the creator, completely devoid of any soul!”

Another scene revealing the tragic past of the Sword Maiden prompted complaints, “Does the creator have any sense? Why assign such a beautiful woman such a bleak backstory? It’s cruel!”

Finally, when the Goblin Slayer sought aid from the adventurers’ guild, they griped about the guild’s betrayal, “What a load of trash writing! Who came up with this nonsense?!”

Feeling lost, Ska asked around and learned that these high-nosed nobles were avid readers and writers of conventional adventure novels, filled with brainless “chosen one” stories.

Seeing a film like Goblin Slayer, which defied such conventions, was like witnessing heresy.

Though the dazzling special effects intrigued them, the film’s unconventional storyline incited their criticism.

Realizing how hard Edward had worked on this movie only for it to be met with such unobjective criticism, Ska felt his frustration rise.

If he hadn’t controlled himself, he might have gone toe-to-toe with the critics right there.

Meanwhile, from the front row, the Emperor looked unbothered, casually enjoying a meal he had somehow procured, watching the movie alongside his young daughter.

Unseen by others due to the dim lighting, he seemed quite content.

As the film ended, a wave of discussion filled the hall, with many remarks directed at Ska, for they could not direct them to Edward, who was far away filming in the chaotic northern territories.

Just as Ska, simmering with irritation, was about to engage the noble detractors head-on, the Emperor’s voice rang out: “An interesting piece. Did you make it?”

“No, Your Majesty,” Ska replied promptly, “The movie’s creator is Edward Durin, the Baron.”

“Edward Durin?” The Emperor’s expression perked up slightly, recognizing the name. “So, this is the birthday gift from the Mage Tower? To be honest, I quite like this year’s gift; it’s a pleasant change from the ornate yet useless magical trinkets. Although it’s a mere diversion, it brought me much enjoyment.”

With the Emperor’s endorsement, the nobility’s grumblings quieted, though they still had to admit that the film held a certain charm.

And without knowing that cinema was already gaining popularity among commoners, they could grudgingly accept its appeal.

On the other hand, Ska shook his head and said, “I apologize, Your Majesty. The film was purely an introduction to cinema that Baron Durin and I wanted to share. The real gift is something else.”

“Oh?”

Already prepared to offer a reward, the Emperor now found his interest piqued further, especially after the unusual experience of the movie.

Ska proceeded to remove the contents from his briefcase and clear a space on the ground with the help of a servant.

Following a series of alchemical adjustments, the crystal projector began displaying a new image with a “Waiting to Connect” message.

“What’s this…” In bewilderment, General Wilhelm, who had watched Goblin Slayer twice already, eyed the scene with a confused expression, unsure what magic Ska had conjured.

Under the watchful eyes of the audience, the “Waiting to Connect” message faded, and a live image appeared on the screen.

A blond youth holding two magical devices looked up from the middle of what seemed to be a film set, casting a glance at Ska. “Man, your timing is horrible,” he muttered, “I’m right in the middle of a shoot here!”

Many in the audience were left bewildered by what they saw, though those who’d received higher education vaguely sensed the significance of this moment, with Wilhelm struggling to hide his excitement at seeing something that might change history.

After briefly pausing the shoot and gathering his bearings, Edward turned and spoke directly to the gathered nobles. “Ahem, let me introduce myself. My name is Edward Durin, and while I’m sure Ska has mentioned my title, I’ll skip the formalities. So, uh… what am I supposed to say again? Damn, I’ve never done live presentations before.”