For the residents of Nosrick City, today began as an ordinary day—neither a holiday nor a day of any particular note. However, the sudden commotion emanating from Nosrick Cinema quickly transformed the town into a lively hub of activity.
"What's going on? Why's it so noisy? Is there a new movie coming out? But didn't they say the second half of Fate/Zero would be released in the winter?"
"You don't know? People have been talking about it just now. Apparently, every tavern in Nosrick City has been equipped with something called a television. A new movie will be shown on it soon, and it's set in the same universe as Fate/Zero."
"What? A television? Damn, you should've told me earlier! The seats are probably all taken by now!"
As the buzz spread, the once-idle residents of Nosrick City quickly poured into the streets in search of a tavern. In no time, every tavern equipped with one of the strange magitech devices known as a television was packed to capacity. Those unable to get in were left frustrated, frantically searching for another venue. It was only then that they noticed several new taverns had popped up along the familiar streets, seemingly prepared from the start for this momentous occasion.
At Edward Tavern, just like the others, a magical magitech device known as a television had been installed. Guests lucky enough to secure a spot marveled at the intricate device. At the center of the venue, Edward and his companions occupied the prime seats. Since this was a historic moment marking the dawn of a new era, Edward had even invited Winry, who had always stayed behind to manage the castle. After all, how could he overlook the girl who had been instrumental in supporting his endeavors?
"When's it starting? I drank too much juice earlier—I'm worried I'll need to use the bathroom during the movie…"
As the crowd grew thicker, Helena leaned in to complain impatiently.
Seeing her eagerness, Edward simply pressed her back into her seat with one hand. He turned to Zat and instructed, "If you need to go, then go. Zat, help manage the crowd. Once we're at capacity, close the tavern and redirect the others elsewhere. I factored the town's population into my preparations, so there's always another spot for them."
"Got it!"
Though Zat sighed at having to take on yet another task, he obeyed without complaint, diving into the crowd to maintain order. Despite his efforts, guests continued pouring in at an alarming rate. Edward Tavern, being the most renowned in town, naturally became everyone's first choice. Eventually, even the headless knight, Juno, Wiz, and Saeki—tavern staff members—had to step in to restore order. They ushered the excess guests out politely and secured the doors, ensuring that only as many people as could comfortably watch the television remained inside.
Finally, with calm restored, Edward let out a small sigh of relief as he relaxed in his seat of honor. Just then, he noticed a familiar petite figure in the crowd. Intrigued, he quickly approached and was surprised to find Daphne, whom he hadn't seen in a long time. This time, however, her usual bodyguard was nowhere in sight, leaving Edward puzzled as to how she had managed to come alone.
Seeing Edward, Daphne let out a sigh of relief and said, "Thank goodness! I finally found you!"
"What's the matter? Ran away from your family again?"
"Haha~~ you figured it out, huh? Well, I couldn't help it. I heard on the way that you were premiering a new movie, so of course, I rushed over!"
Edward, exasperated by the duchess's repeated escapes from her family, pulled her to a central seat. However, since all the seats were already taken, he had to say with a wry smile, "No more seats. How about sitting on the floor?"
"Eh…"
Seeing her stunned expression, Edward chuckled. "Relax, just kidding. Belldia doesn't need a chair, right? Someone can hold his head and watch together."
Belldia: "... ..."
Amid the mild chaos, the crowd finally settled, and the television screen began to flicker slightly. This was due to the Alchemy Tower's television station fine-tuning the magic signal. Soon, the screen cleared up, marking the official start of the premiere.
<+>
Meanwhile, chaos reigned at the Imperial Mage Academy.
"Damn it! The school hall is already packed! Is there any other TV around?"
"Yeah, the lecture halls are full too. I'm going crazy!"
"Apparently, every Arch Mage in the Mage Tower has their own dedicated television station. That's so unfair!"
"If it's unfair, why don't you complain to the Administrator? Or better yet, talk to Durin!"
"Yeah, they even say the Alchemy Tower has its own TV. If I'd known, I would've majored in Alchemy! I regret it so much!"
"Wait! Let's go to the Alchemy Tower! I heard they've set up new TVs outside!"
Following that suggestion, a wave of mage students rushed toward the Alchemy Tower like they were racing to the cafeteria. Unexpectedly, the Alchemy Tower, led by Ska, had indeed set up spare television stations and used previously developed imaging crystals for a live broadcast. This technique wasn't much different from the new live-movie screenings they had done before.
Even without seats prepared, the enthusiastic students either stood or sat on the ground, eagerly awaiting the new film.
<+>
Back at Edward Tavern, the television screen first displayed the logos of Edward Film Studio and the Imperial Mage Academy Alchemy Branch—a move Edward had planned from the start, partly as a precursor to future advertisements.
To Edward, even if advertising didn't bring in money, he would embrace it. After all, weren't TVs made for ads? The movies were just an excuse to give people bathroom breaks.
As The Garden of Sinners title slowly appeared, the noise in the tavern subsided, and the premiere officially began.
The film opened with the male and female leads' introduction. Though the opening lacked dramatic tension, the audience, accustomed to the exposition-heavy start of Fate/Zero, watched quietly as the story unfolded.
Despite its subdued start, the suspense established in the opening scenes quickly engaged the audience. Their only confusion lay in the protagonist's strange attire, which didn't resemble anything in their reality.
That was intentional. Driven by his passion for the original work, Edward had recreated Ryougi Shiki's kimono and iconic red jacket as faithfully as possible, despite these designs being completely alien to this world's aesthetic. Previous films had featured costumes that generally fit this fantasy world, but this time, the unique designs might even spark a cosplay trend.
As the film progressed, a voice unexpectedly cut through the quiet.
"It's strange. This movie feels so different from your previous works, Director Durin. Even Fate/Zero had a clear main plotline, but I've been watching this for a while and still don't understand what it's trying to convey."
Edward turned to see Chase, who had somehow managed to find a seat. Chase was supposed to be rehearsing Fate/Zero's sequel script with the Snow Flower Troupe.
Smiling, Chase explained, "I wasn't planning to come, but curiosity got the better of me. I noticed this tavern wasn't full yet, so I slipped in."
Understanding the situation, Edward returned his focus to the screen and said, "You're right. The Garden of Sinners is very different. It doesn't aim to tell a straightforward story. The narrative is fragmented and requires multiple viewings to piece together. That's why I chose television as its medium. While it doesn't have a clear main storyline, I'd say its depth and intrigue rival Fate/Zero, though the styles are entirely different."
As Edward finished, the film's atmosphere shifted. Ryougi Shiki, noticing Kokutou Mikiya's strange behavior, hurried toward a sealed building. Due to limitations in filming locations, Edward couldn't perfectly recreate the original's world but managed to capture the essence of The Garden of Sinners with the available resources. This led to the first action-packed sequence of the movie.
In fact, it proved the old saying true: if you try, success is always a possibility. Even in such a completely different world, Edward managed to recreate the feeling of a society caught in an era of transition, as depicted in The Garden of Sinners. The film's overall style faithfully captured the essence of the original.
Naturally, this meant the movie leaned heavily toward a dark, eerie tone, almost reminiscent of a ghost story. When the antagonist, Fujou Kirie, made her first sudden appearance, many viewers in the tavern were startled. Aya and Daphne both instinctively shrank back in fear, perfectly demonstrating what it meant to be "chickened out."
"Eek! Is that a ghost? It must be a ghost! Are ghosts weak against fire magic?"
Helena's panicked question was met with a sly grin from Latisha, who had been quietly sitting in a corner. She remarked, "Non-material undead aren't afraid of fire magic. However, a blast of holy light might make them vanish on the spot."
"What?! They're not afraid of fire magic?!"
Seeing Helena's flustered reaction, Latisha calmly added, "Of course, non-material undead usually don't pose much of a threat to ordinary people. Even if they intend to attack, they can only pass through a body harmlessly. By contrast, the spiritual energy of malicious ghosts is powerful enough to interfere with reality, making them susceptible to elemental magic."
"Oh, I see. But why is that girl in the movie, Ryougi Shiki, possessed by a ghost?"
Helena's earnest question was deflected by Latisha, who passed the topic to Edward. "How would I know? You'll have to ask the person who came up with this story."
At this, everyone turned their curious gazes toward Edward, who had been quietly watching the film. Surrounded by inquisitive faces, he was momentarily stunned. After a long pause, he chose to stay silent. Only he knew that this story wasn't his original creation. Even if he tried to explain, the differences in worldviews would make it impossible to provide a convincing answer.
<+>
Meanwhile, at the Imperial Mage Academy, the atmosphere was entirely different.
A group of mages watching The Garden of Sinners was engaging in serious discussion, a stark contrast to the tavern audience, who were mostly watching for fun.
<+>
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[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/162522?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/130705860?collection=162522
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