Creating Anime In A Fantasy World

Chapter 235: Goblin Slayer Was Amazing!

The screening of Goblin Slayer lasted nearly three hours.

And for those three hours, every soldier of the southern frontier garrison was completely absorbed in the harrowing tale of adventure.

From Goblin Slayer’s first dramatic entrance and the rescue of the priestess, to the repeated purges of goblin nests, to the gradual addition of new companions—the soldiers watched with rapt attention.

Though they themselves had never lived the life of an adventurer, and knew nothing of guilds, quests, or party formations, they found themselves drawn into the story as if they were adventurers too. Side by side with Goblin Slayer and his companions, they hunted the foul creatures and faced danger together.

For men whose lives were normally consumed by endless patrols, drills, and the constant vigilance of frontier duty, the film was like opening a door into another world. It gave them a joy they had long forgotten, a thrill they had never imagined magic could bring.

Finally, as the last act drew to a close and the climactic battle with the Goblin Lord ended in victory, the credits rolled to the sound of the ending theme.

The soldiers sat back, faces full of wonder, reluctant for the experience to end.

“I never thought an adventurer’s life could be so exciting… maybe after I retire, I’ll try becoming one myself!” one soldier mused.

“Ha! Don’t kid yourself. Here in the South there aren’t even that many monsters to fight. At best, you’d spend your days hauling crates for merchants,” another laughed.

“True enough. But the Empire has three other frontiers—the East, the West, and the North. They say the North is the real graveyard for rookies. Only the most seasoned, powerful adventurers have any chance of surviving there.”

“Yeah, the North frontier is the Chaos Mountains. Beyond them lies the chaos land itself. Gods only know what horrors crawl out of there. The movie made the adventurer’s life look dangerous… but in the North, that danger is real.”

“Compared to that, the South is practically peaceful. Thanks to the Southern Territory Grand Duke, the frontier fortresses have been reinforced for generations. The wild lands still seethe with danger, but the Southern Territory Grand Duke crushed the monster tides long ago. Hardly any beasts make it past the watchtowers anymore.”

“Aye, the Grand Duke deserves the praise they get. Every southerner knows the ducal house has always bled to keep the frontier safe.”

“But still… wasn’t that film incredible?” another soldier exclaimed. “If I hadn’t been told it was fictional, I’d have thought goblins like that really did exist, and that Goblin Slayer and his band were out there right now fighting them!”

“Damn right! If those disgusting creatures were real, I’d be the first to volunteer for Commander Wycliffe’s monster-slaying unit. I’d hunt every last one of them down myself!”

“And I want more! Is this the only movie? Even if it’s not Goblin Slayer, I’d love to see others!”

“Exactly. Life out here is boring as dirt. Training, patrols, counting stones in the yard… If we could watch movies all the time—no, even just once a month—I’d be thrilled!”

“Once a month? I’d settle for once every six months!”

“Goblin Slayer was just too damn good!”

The chatter spread through the camp, a buzz of excitement.

Life as a frontier soldier was long, dull, and thankless. Their duty was their pride, but even pride could not banish the monotony of endless drills and watch rotations.

And now, after this first taste of cinema, every man found himself hoping for more. More stories, more heroes, more worlds to escape into.

For the first time in a long while, the garrison dreamed not of home leave or strong drink, but of movies.

Sensing the mood of the majority of his soldiers, Captain Brando couldn’t help but show a complex expression.

As the eldest son of the ducal family—and the effective leader of this garrison—he shouldn’t have cared too much for something as trivial as entertainment.

Yet after seeing this so-called “movie,” he found himself, just like his men, filled with curiosity and expectation.

The experience was utterly unlike the stage plays and operas he had endured in the past. Those, too, were stories performed for an audience—but compared to this film, they felt shallow, lacking weight and realism.

Where operas had bored him to the point of drowsiness, this film had left him alert and energized, even craving more. He wanted a sequel—no, other films entirely, no matter the story.

Of course, there was one part he found difficult to accept: his sister’s scenes with the Goblin Slayer. There were simply too many moments that looked… ambiguous.

Yes, yes, he knew it was only acting. He knew the Goblin Slayer and his party didn’t exist in reality. But even so, it was hard for him to ignore.

Ahem… naturally, this was only because of a brother’s duty, he told himself. Nothing else.

At length, once the film had ended and he had gathered his thoughts, Brando turned to Edward and spoke gravely:

“I understand now. So this is what you call a movie… it truly is something novel, and very entertaining. I apologize for my earlier rudeness.”

Edward smiled faintly.

“No offense taken, Captain. After all, the purpose of my films is nothing less than to bring joy to people everywhere—and to change this dull, stagnant world.”

“Change the world?”

Brando blinked at the oddly dramatic words, then gave a wry chuckle.

“I see… now I finally understand why my father holds such high expectations of you. You truly are a genius unlike any other. By the way, earlier you mentioned you came to our garrison to find ‘actors.’ You mean people like those we just saw on screen—the ones who play the roles in a film?”

“Precisely. For my next project, I am seeking suitable candidates for the leading roles. That’s why I came here.”

“Here? But… this is the army. If you want performers, shouldn’t you be searching for a theater troupe instead?”

Brando’s confusion was plain.

But Edward only gave a mysterious smile, replying in a calm, deliberate tone:

“As for that question… I think you’ll find out very soon.”