Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Eli and Hamel's Disappearance (5)
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A short time after "Eli and Hamel's Disappearance" caused a massive box office sensation in the capital.
I wasn't in the capital. Instead, I had come down to the Tersion Baron's estate for the first time in ages.
The reason was simple enough.
No matter where I went in the capital, all anyone talked about was "Eli and Hamel's Disappearance". I desperately wanted at least a quiet rest back home.
Unfortunately, the companion who had come down to the Tersion Baron's estate with me showed no sign of understanding my feelings.
"Raguna! Father says 'Eli and Hamel's Disappearance' has been greenlit for screenings in other major cities beyond the capital! There are already over fifty theaters scheduled!"
"Ah, really? That's impressive."
I nodded with a somewhat lackluster expression at Serika's excited fussing.
And at my reaction, Serika looked baffled instead.
"What's with you, Raguna? Your anime is a hit, and you're reacting so half-heartedly?"
"Because I expected 'Eli and Hamel's Disappearance' to succeed from the start."
"...What?"
"I predicted this would happen, so making a big deal out of it now just seems weirder."
That was right.
From the very beginning, I had been absolutely certain that "Eli and Hamel's Disappearance" would succeed as long as it got released.
'I crammed in nothing but the essence of DisXney and Ghibli. If it flopped, I'd have to off myself.'
The people of this world had no idea, but I'd basically made the anime with a cheat code.
If anything, I would have been shocked if "Eli and Hamel's Disappearance" hadn't been a hit.
'Mr. Miyazaki, can you see this? Your skills work even on the barbarians of a fantasy world...'
I took a moment of silent tribute to Mr. Miyazaki of Ghibli, whom I considered my spiritual mentor.
Mr. Miyazaki back on Earth was probably watching his disciple with a deeply satisfied smile.
Meanwhile, oblivious to my inner thoughts, Serika looked amazed.
"As expected... You're a true artist, Raguna. You have such firm confidence and pride in your own work. That's exactly the attitude needed to create a success..."
"..."
Even if I was a man with nothing to be ashamed of under heaven, hearing that to my face made my conscience prick a little.
"Anyway, when are you planning the next one?"
"...Next one?"
"Yeah. Honestly, as your fan, I'm dying to see what you make next. With 'Eli and Hamel's Disappearance' being such a hit, it's time for the follow-up, right?"
As she said that, Serika's eyes sparkled as she opened her mouth again.
"So, what are you making? A sequel to 'Eli and Hamel's Disappearance'? Or 'Nymph and Goblin'? Or maybe a brand-new story from a fresh world?"
"Well, about that..."
'Truth is, I haven't planned any next project at all.'
That was the case.
Initially, I'd made "Nymph and Goblin" just to capture the attention of the noble brats.
Then, "Eli and Hamel's Disappearance" came next to debut Serika as a voice actress and rake in cash through derivative rights.
Now that "Eli and Hamel's Disappearance" was a smash hit, related merchandise and goods were flying off the shelves, and I was raking in absurd amounts of money.
Even after giving merchants twenty percent for production and distribution fees, the inflows were beyond imagination.
My bank account was bursting at the seams. Why would I bother making another one?
Of course, I hadn't given up on animation entirely.
But in my current stuffed state, I had neither reason nor motivation to make more.
'So, maybe I'll casually do the next one in a few years.'
But this perfect plan I'd sketched in my head was utterly shattered before it could even start.
Because.
"Y-Young master! B-Big trouble!"
"What? What's going on?"
"S-Someone looking for you came to our territory. Fr-From the imperial court..."
"...The imperial court wants me? Why on earth?"
"I-I'm not sure either..."
In the end, I had no choice but to tell them to let the imperial envoy in.
No matter how much I hated mingling with high society.
I couldn't just outright ignore someone sent from the imperial court.
That would be suicide on par with declaring in front of elves that the World Tree was just a big tree.
And then.
"A pleasure to meet you, Heir of Tersion. I am Hildegart von Mettermayer, maid to Her Imperial Highness Karlreiya von Loengram."
I'd expected some stern old codger from the court.
Instead, the visitor was a strikingly young and beautiful woman in her early twenties.
"I deeply apologize for visiting your territory without prior notice. But Her Highness issued the order so urgently that we had no choice."
Hildegart bowed politely toward me as she spoke.
I could only stare at her in confusion.
"...A maid to the Imperial Princess? Meaning..."
"Her Imperial Highness sent me here personally. With instructions to deliver this to you courteously."
With that, Hildegart handed me an ornate sheet of parchment.
It was none other than.
"...An invitation?"
"Yes. Her Imperial Highness wishes to invite Heir Tersion to the imperial palace. The reason... I believe you can guess."
'It's the anime.'
My "Eli and Hamel's Disappearance" had whipped up a huge box office storm across the empire, sparking all sorts of social phenomena.
Naturally, the imperial court seemed to have grown quite curious about me, the creator.
It wasn't all that surprising, really. I'd half-expected it.
Politicians always stick their spoons into any hot social issue.
But.
'I really don't want to go.'
A typical noble might weep tears of joy at an imperial invitation.
Frankly, it just felt like a massive hassle to me.
My dream was to be an unemployed layabout. Animation was just a hobby.
If I accepted the princess's offer and went to the palace, getting tangled with the elite.
My cherished NEET life would go up in smoke, and nothing but annoyances would follow. Bad vibes all around.
But outright snubbing an imperial invitation? Impossible.
In the end, I had to deploy my cheat key to dodge this crisis.
"...I'm sorry, but I can't accept Her Imperial Highness's proposal."
"Pardon? What do you mean? Surely you're not refusing the imperial court's invitation?"
I calmly spoke to Hildegart, who looked utterly perplexed.
"The truth is... I'm currently planning a sequel to 'Eli and Hamel's Disappearance'."
"...A sequel to 'Eli and Hamel's Disappearance'?"
"Yes. And in that process, I'm experiencing the agony of creation in real time. Creating something from nothing is never easy."
In reality, I was just plagiarizing and stuffing in clichés, so I felt zero creative pain.
But I paused here deliberately.
Then, with a wry smile tugging at my lips, I gazed at her with melancholic eyes and continued.
"That's precisely why I came down to the Tersion Baron's estate. I thought a rest in my hometown might spark some good ideas. And—"
"...Just recently, a decent idea for the next work popped into my head. But it's still just raw delusions, so I need quiet time to organize it."
"Ah..."
"That's why I can't accept the imperial invitation. My apologies."
"..."
Hildegart bowed her head at my words.
And seeing her, I felt a quiet satisfaction.
The classic webnovel/manga creator cheat: "My ideas are tapped out, so I need time to recharge." What could she possibly do?
Now Hildegart would have a rough idea why I couldn't go.
"...I see."
"Yeah."
"I understand what you've said, Raguna. I'll relay your words to Her Highness exactly as spoken."
With that, Hildegart bowed apologetically once more.
For the record, before she left the estate, I heard the princess was a fan and gifted her my autograph plus a few concept arts from "Eli and Hamel's Disappearance".
With bribes delivered to the princess herself, she wouldn't complain later.
I smiled contentedly, thinking the matter had resolved peacefully.
But to cut to the chase, that was my delusion.
Because a few days later, Hildegart returned to the estate and said this.
"Her Highness says she will come to the baron's estate herself."
"...Pardon?"
"Her Highness said she has no desire to disrupt your creative work, so she will visit the estate personally."
"..."
No, what the fuck. What is this bullshit?