Re-written date: 7 / 13 / 2025
. . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 54: The Wheels of History
The promotion of KonoSuba was an overwhelming success. Almost overnight, talk of both the movie and the title itself spread throughout all the major cities of the southern territory.
The Adventurers' Guild, driven by its own interests, organized outdoor screenings in several cities where traditional theaters had once held sway. As a result, the theater industry, desperate to protect its profits, completely broke ties with the Southern Territory Adventurer's Guild. The sabotage and underhanded tricks they employed during this period were so obvious that even a blind man could see them.
But despite their desperate efforts, they were powerless against the tidal wave of change. All they could do was watch helplessly as their audiences were steadily siphoned off by this strange new thing called "film." In just a short time, revenues for many of the territory's long-established theater troupes had plummeted.
The only glimmer of hope for the old guard was the support of a few stubborn aristocrats—traditional nobles who refused to accept an entertainment medium that even commoners could enjoy. Out of pride, they aligned themselves with the theaters. While they didn't go so far as to openly suppress films, their attitude made it clear they had no intention of helping the industry flourish.
Yet even under pressure from these entrenched forces, the phenomenon of cinema had already entered the public eye across the southern territory. Even the most remote villages now had young people eagerly discussing this fascinating new form of storytelling.
And finally, the thing the Southern Territory Adventurer's Guild had hoped for most came to pass—a massive surge in new adventurers.
With the influx of new applicants, the Southern Territory Adventurer's Guild—once infamous for having the lowest adventurer count—suddenly boasted the largest membership in the Empire. Admittedly, the average quality couldn't compare to the veterans of other territories, but in the South, quantity was what mattered most.
As these dramatic shifts reshaped the southern territory, the ripple effect began to spread. Even in a world with poor roads and sluggish communication, the tale of KonoSuba and the invention of cinema began to travel far beyond its place of origin.
…
Mage Tower – Top Floor
In the highest chamber of the Tower of Knowledge, an old man sat quietly, watching. Across from him sat a younger figure—Roy, the Chief Court Mage under the Grand Duke of the South. Edward had met him once before.
Even Roy, powerful as he was, didn't dare act casually in this room. He sat upright with respectful posture as he addressed the elder.
"Administrator Hohenheim, this is a sample of the imaging crystal developed by my junior, Edward Durin. I had to pull quite a few strings and use the Grand Duke's authority just to acquire it from the Southern Territory Adventurer's Guild."
As he spoke, Roy placed a palm-sized crystal on the table between them. Injecting a bit of mana into it, he triggered the playback mechanism.
A vivid image immediately appeared on the nearby wall. The scene was unmistakable—it was from KonoSuba.
"…What in the world?"
The old man's eyes, which had been half-closed in thought, opened wide in astonishment. Even for Hohenheim—the Administrator of the Mage Tower, Head of the Imperial Mage Academy, and one of the Empire's greatest Arch Mages—this was something he had never seen before.
He reached out and tapped the crystal, but no matter how he touched it, the projected image on the wall continued to play smoothly.
"This is the imaging crystal," Roy explained. "Durin invented this magic item that allows for projection of recorded footage. There's a corresponding device that captures the footage and one that captures the sound itself, and this is the playback component. As you can see, the clarity is astonishing. The entire southern territory is currently abuzz over this thing called 'film.' At this rate, it's only a matter of time before it spreads to the capital."
Hohenheim listened carefully. After a moment of silence, he furrowed his brow and asked a heavy question:
"…And what do you think the Empire will make of this?"
"This technology, while Durin has only used it to make movies so far, will undoubtedly raise eyebrows once the Empire gets wind of it," Roy said frankly. "Especially in the fields of military strategy and intelligence. The moment they realize its potential, they'll stop at nothing to get their hands on it. If Durin refuses to cooperate, they might even go as far as placing him under house arrest."
Hohenheim gave a slow nod, clearly having come to the same conclusion. After all, tensions between the Empire and its neighboring nations had only grown worse in recent years. The government would jump at any opportunity to strengthen its military capabilities. A device that could record and play back real-time imagery? It was a dream come true for any general—or spy.
And Edward, as its inventor, would be the first target.
"That brat's always refused to listen to me," Hohenheim grumbled. "He had every opportunity to inherit all of my research. A bright future laid out right in front of him, and he tossed it aside. With his natural talent, even if he didn't want to become a top-tier archmage, he could have easily become an Arch Mage… but instead, he wasted it all on fiddling with Magitech Alchemy."
His face darkened at the memory, and Roy, seeing the chance, added with a smirk, "I still remember how upset you were when you kicked him out. You locked yourself in this tower for days, didn't eat, didn't sleep. If you cared about him that much, maybe you shouldn't have let him go in the first place."
"Hmph! Who says I cared?!" Hohenheim snapped. "Even if I die without a successor, I'm not going to go begging that brat to come back!"
"Yes, yes," Roy replied with a knowing grin. "But jokes aside… what should we do? Right now, I'm the one keeping the lid on this. I've made sure the news hasn't spread to the capital yet. But once word of the recording device and imaging crystal reaches the Empire, there's no doubt they'll send someone to secure it immediately. And knowing Durin, I highly doubt he'll just hand it over."
Hohenheim narrowed his eyes, glaring at the crystal again. He tapped the table lightly, lost in thought.
"That brat," he muttered. "Back when he stood in front of the Grand Lecture Hall and declared that Magitech Alchemy was the future, that it was the key to real progress, I laughed him off. I thought letting him drop out would force him to face reality. But now? He's actually done it. I can't even find a good reason to argue back anymore."
"…So?" Roy asked, confused. He knew Hohenheim well enough to realize the old man never said things without a reason.
As expected, after a pause, the old Arch Mage spoke again—his voice low and firm.
"No matter what, the Mage Tower must stand behind him now. Whether he chooses to hand over the technology or take a different path, it's his decision to make. We'll support it."
He paused, then added, "Who's in charge of the Alchemy Tower these days?"
"I think it's Ska. His older brother was one of your disciples, wasn't he?"
"Perfect," Hohenheim said. "Then go tell him this: As of today, the Alchemy Tower is no longer a subordinate branch of the Mage Tower. It is to be recognized as an independent magical institution. Magitech Alchemy will be acknowledged as a formal school of magic, with its own entrance exams and curriculum, on par with any other magical discipline."
"And the one who pioneered this field," he continued, his voice growing solemn, "will be eligible for his name to be carved into the Monument of Mages, as one of the founders of a new era of magic."