Re-written date: 7 / 13 / 2025
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Chapter 34: The First Cinema in Another World
After a thorough walk through Nosrick Grand Theater, Edward gave a silent nod of approval. For the only theater in the city, it wasn't bad.
Viscount Baniel, who had been trailing closely behind him the entire time, remained extremely respectful. While Baniel technically outranked Edward in nobility—being a viscount to Edward's baron—he wasn't foolish enough to ignore the obvious. Edward was a real Grand Mage. Even if the Mage Tower had struck his name from their records, that didn't change the fact that his magical power remained intact. The only thing he'd lost was a bit of institutional backing—not his skills.
"Lord Durin," Baniel asked carefully, "do you see anything in the theater that needs changing?"
Edward gave a casual glance across the space before answering, "The seating arrangement's too large. That's fine for a stage play, but for a movie? Rear audiences will barely see anything. Unless you're planning to hand out a free Eagle Eye spell scroll with every ticket, you're going to have problems."
It was true. The Nosrick Grand Theater had been designed as an opera house. It had three tiers of balconies, allowing audiences from the second and third floors to look down onto the stage. But when it came to movies—especially ones relying on screen visuals rather than live performers—this layout was a real liability.
Even if nearsightedness wasn't as common in this world, vertical distance alone was enough to ruin the viewing experience.
"And that's not the only problem with the seating," Edward continued. "Ideally, a cinema should have seats arranged with a proper incline. Flat seating means people in the back will have their view blocked by the ones in front. On top of that, the interior needs to be properly shaded. And if it's possible, I want to allow snacks inside."
He paused, then amended, "No—scratch that. Letting people bring their own food will just lead to chaos. Too noisy, too messy. Best if the theater provides simple snacks instead—quiet ones that are easy to clean up, like dry pastries or small sweets..."
Edward rattled off suggestion after suggestion—practical, precise, and completely foreign to someone like Baniel.
The young noble scrambled to keep up, furiously scribbling notes on a piece of parchment like a diligent student. Though overwhelmed, he didn't try to argue, and when Edward paused, he nodded with genuine admiration.
"As expected of a Grand Mage... every idea is so ahead of its time," Baniel said breathlessly. "But if we start modifying everything now, I'm afraid there's not enough time to get it all done."
"Of course," Edward replied plainly. "These are just recommendations. I don't expect you to rebuild the entire theater overnight. What you do need to focus on right now is clearing the stage. That red curtain and those props—get rid of them. This isn't a stage play anymore."
He pointed toward the front of the theater, where a thick red curtain still hung over a wooden platform cluttered with decorative set pieces. Clearly designed for traditional plays, the stage would only get in the way of a proper screening.
Once Baniel ordered the workers to clear everything, the space finally started to resemble something closer to a cinema.
Edward eyed the back wall of the theater for a moment, then turned back to Baniel and asked, "If I asked you to paint that wall white, how long would it take?"
"If we move quickly and the workers are ready, half a day should be enough," Baniel replied.
"Good," Edward said, satisfied. "Then get started. If everything goes well, we'll hold the premiere tonight."
And just like that, the plan was in motion.
Edward had seen enough to be confident that the Nosrick Grand Theater could work as this world's first cinema. And to Baniel's credit, he was eager to listen and even more eager to act.
Truthfully, if Baniel hadn't been a young heir recently inheriting the family business, things might've gone very differently. A more traditional, stubborn elder—set in his ways and overly attached to outdated customs—would have rejected Edward's "nonsense" without even considering its potential.
But Baniel wasn't that kind of man.
And that was why Nosrick City, of all places, was about to make history.
To more traditional minds, tossing aside the "time-honored ways" was like spitting on one's ancestors. For them, traditions weren't just habits—they were sacred. So even the idea of altering them felt like a betrayal. While that line of thinking might seem noble on the surface, Edward knew better. It was exactly this kind of thinking that had long been a massive roadblock to true progress.
And if KonoSuba was really going to be used to promote cinema across the realm, then these kinds of stubborn traditionalists would definitely be a serious problem. Most of them had their claws deep in the existing theaters and entertainment guilds. Once they saw film as a threat to their old systems, Edward was sure they'd fight tooth and nail to shut it down.
But Edward had already anticipated that.
From the very beginning, he had planned for the possibility of outdoor screenings.
That alone was a game-changer.
...
Watching Baniel quickly mobilize the workers to follow his suggestions, Edward gave a small, approving nod. He stepped up again and added, "When the film plays, make sure the room is pitch black. All those glowing magic stones? Remove them or drain their energy. Also, set up more seats. The second floor is barely acceptable, but the third floor? No good. And before the showing begins, make sure the imaging crystal is angled higher so the back rows can see the full screen."
Edward rattled off everything in one breath. Baniel could barely keep up, but thankfully his assistant had already arrived and was jotting down notes as fast as possible.
As the theater's transformation wrapped up, Edward casually picked a seat and sat down, staring at the newly whitewashed wall where the image would be projected. It wasn't perfect—but it was more than enough.
Compared to the kinds of setups he'd seen back on Earth, this was amateur hour. But for this world? It was an impressive beginning. Baniel had followed his suggestions with surprising precision, showing just how committed he was to the project.
For a moment, Edward let his thoughts drift.
Back in his old world, before the whole being-isekai'd-into-a-magic-world thing happened, he'd been planning to watch the second part of the Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel movie.
He'd never gotten the chance.
Now, sitting here waiting for the premiere of his own fantasy movie, the irony wasn't lost on him.
When Baniel returned to check in, the transformation was nearly complete.
"You sent someone to do promotions, right?" Edward asked. "How's that going? I'm not expecting a full house, but it shouldn't be totally empty either."
Baniel gave a confident nod. "Of course. We already swapped out the theater signage with one for your film. And with the reputation of Nosrick Grand Theater behind it, we'll definitely draw in a decent crowd. Once people see it and start talking, word of mouth will do the rest."
Edward paused, then narrowed his eyes. Something felt off.
"Wait a second. You're relying on word of mouth?" he asked. "You're telling me there wasn't any formal promotion? No ads?"
Baniel looked genuinely puzzled. "Promoting means... calling out to people at the entrance, right? This is the only theater in Nosrick City. Everyone already knows it. As for ads... what's that?"
Edward's face froze mid-expression.
In all his careful planning, he'd completely overlooked one critical point:
This world might have decent papermaking… But they had no real means of spreading information quickly.
And worse—nobody even understood what proper promotion actually was.