Ficool

Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Unprepared and Overwhelmed

Re-written date: 7 / 13 / 2025

. . . . . . . . . . . 

Chapter 37: Unprepared and Overwhelmed

Inside the newly converted theater, as the final scenes of KonoSuba faded from the screen and the soft glow of the overhead mana crystals returned to gently light the hall, the echo of laughter still lingered in the air.

The crowd had erupted during the final moments—especially the punchline where the protagonist ended up four million in debt. It was the last in a long chain of absurdities that had left the audience laughing nearly nonstop throughout the whole film. And now, with the room lit again, the wave of conversation that followed was almost deafening.

"Hah! That was amazing! I've never seen something so stupid—and funny—in my life!"

"Seriously, that girl's a goddess?! She's more useless than my neighbor's pet pig!"

"What kind of mage can only cast one spell a day?! Who would ever think that was practical?!"

"I mean… I kinda like the masochist knight... Is that weird?"

"If it were me at that party, I'd have snapped ten minutes in. No way I'd survive that insanity!"

"Honestly, the Headless Knight was the only one with class. An undead with actual honor, and they defeated him with dirty tricks?!"

Dozens of voices, all overlapping. Different opinions, same energy: pure, euphoric excitement.

No one wanted to leave. They wanted to talk, to relive every hilarious moment. Some even turned to strangers and struck up conversations right there in their seats.

But then, just as the credits finished rolling and people began standing up to leave, the screen suddenly changed again.

The lights dimmed slightly, and a new scene appeared.

A small, slightly rundown monster shop appeared on screen, its wooden sign reading Lawrence's Monster Emporium. Inside, all sorts of fantastical monsters wandered around in contained pens and cages. Some were tiny slimes that looked identical to the ones seen in the movie. Others were cuter, more exotic, or just plain bizarre.

Several sharp-eyed viewers gasped in recognition.

"Wait a sec—isn't that the slime from the movie?!"

Right on cue, a slightly hunched, middle-aged man appeared on the screen. He looked flustered, clearly not used to being on camera. Edward had told him to speak naturally. Unfortunately, natural for Lawrence meant awkward.

"Ahem, uh... good news, good news!" Lawrence began in a forced, overly cheerful tone. "Lawrence's Monster Emporium is officially collaborating with the film KonoSuba! Ever wanted to hug a slime just like in the movie? Want to interact with adorable magical monsters up close? Well now you can!"

The camera cut to a pinkish blob squirming in a girl's hands. It squeaked like a rubber toy.

"If you're curious," Lawrence continued, "come visit us at… uh... number thirty-two, Crosswinds Avenue, next to the old tailor's shop!"

His tone, the delivery—it all sounded strangely familiar to Edward. Like something straight out of those old, low-effort ad videos he used to see online.

It wasn't exactly "Are you a real gamer? Come to XXX!" levels of catchy, but it had the same awkward sincerity.

Even so, for the people of Nosrick City, it was something they had never seen before.

It was new. It was strange. It was... brilliant.

The crowd's reaction was immediate.

"Wait— we can actually buy the slimes?!"

"Did you see that one with the little horns?! That thing was adorable!"

"I want one! I don't even care if it's dangerous, it's so cute!"

There had always been rumors about Lawrence's shop—whispers about mishandled magical beasts and aggressive slimes. But at this moment? All of that faded from memory. Hype had taken over reason.

And before anyone could catch their breath, the final image flashed on screen: a stark, bold logo of the Southern Territory Adventurer's Guild, alongside a short line of glowing text:

"Looking for your own adventure? Join the guild today!"

When the screen finally went dark for good, the theater began to empty—buzzing with chatter and excitement, people hurried off to talk to friends or head straight for Lawrence's shop.

. . . . . .

Back in his seat, Joseph remained motionless.

He hadn't moved since the film ended.

While everyone else laughed and chatted and left the theater in high spirits, he sat there with a blank expression, staring at the now-dark screen.

That one and a half hours had shattered his entire worldview.

From the very beginning of the film to the moment the screen went black, Joseph felt like he had walked through the entire adventure alongside the protagonist—a plain, awkward boy who nonetheless charged forward with everything he had.

Sure, KonoSuba was absurd. It was ridiculous, full of nonsense and chaos. But to Joseph, that chaos… that messy, unpredictable world was everything he ever wanted.

A life with meaning. A life that felt alive.

"…What have I even been doing all these years?" Joseph muttered.

The smile that had hung on his face through the entire screening slowly faded. He had laughed just like everyone else, rolling in his seat with every ridiculous joke and bizarre scene. But now, looking back, something deeper stirred inside him.

Because in the end, the protagonist before he was reincarnated… wasn't that just him?

Someone with dreams he never chased. Desires he never dared act on. A routine so dull it barely felt like living at all.

Each day, following orders. Living a life that didn't feel like it was his.

Compared to that absurd but vibrant world, compared to that idiot hero who faced death and humiliation and still kept going with a smile—Joseph's own life suddenly felt pathetic.

"I… I want to become an adventurer."

The words slipped out before he could stop them.

It was a line he'd repeated a thousand times in his childhood, ever since the day he saw a picture book of heroes battling monsters. But over time, life wore down that dream, grinding it into something embarrassing, something childish.

And yet now, after just ninety minutes in that theater, it had come rushing back with startling clarity.

He wanted more than this dull routine.

He wanted to change. To live wildly and laugh with comrades. To chase danger, and dreams, and whatever came with them. To have a life worth remembering.

To live a life like the one he just saw on the big screen.

And then, as if the world had heard his thoughts, the screen lit up again—just for a moment.

The last frame: the adventurer's guild advertisement.

Words burned into the air with subtle magical glow.

"Want to change your life?"

"Looking for excitement and purpose?"

"Then start your adventure today."

Joseph stared at the glowing letters. It felt like the message was aimed right at him.

His hands slowly curled into fists.

This wasn't just a movie anymore. This wasn't just entertainment. For someone like him, this film had become a turning point.

Without hesitation, Joseph rose from his seat.

And that night, Nosrick Grand Theater lost one staff member—but the southern territory gained a brand-new adventurer, chasing dreams he had buried long ago.

. . . . . .

Meanwhile, up on the third-floor balcony overlooking the crowd, Edward leaned on the railing, arms crossed as he watched the sea of people pouring out of the theater with beaming smiles and excited chatter.

He had watched the whole thing from above, carefully observing every reaction. From the first moment the film started to the last burst of laughter, he hadn't taken his eyes off the audience.

And what he saw?

Everything had gone exactly as planned.

Perfect.

From start to finish, KonoSuba had landed every joke, every punchline, every absurd twist. The crowd's reactions weren't just good—they were explosive. Laughter rolled like waves. Gasps, cheers, murmurs of awe... it had all been there.

Edward allowed himself a satisfied grin.

With a first screening this successful, the ripple effect was guaranteed. Word-of-mouth would spread fast. People would talk—about the film, about the theater, about this strange new experience called a movie.

And soon, not just Nosrick City, but the entire southern territory would be buzzing about KonoSuba, and the mysterious genius who brought it to life.

More Chapters