Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Became the Greatest Genius in History
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Because it's a world where magic and mana exist, the Justina Kingdom boasts a few magic tools with performance on par with modern civilization.
The standout examples are the communication crystal and the recording crystal.
Nob AI explains their principles like this.
Mana isn't just a substance that can be used as an energy source.
It's also the vast information and possibilities inherent to the world itself.
That's why, if you have precise calculations and enough of it, you can cause any phenomenon imaginable...
『Allow me to explain it in a way that's easier for you to understand, User.』
『When you put ice in hot water, it becomes lukewarm, and when heat is applied to dry leaves, they catch fire. Mana holds all the information for these phenomena. And by 'holds,' I mean it has the potential to make them happen at any time. Like a creature's DNA.』
『Magic is the act of utilizing the information contained in mana. Just as rubbing objects together creates fire, the caster manipulates mana to trigger phenomena. Does that give you a feel for the basic principle behind using mana to perform miracles?』
『Anyway, the recording crystal visualizes everything that happens within a designated range from the start of recording to the stop point using illusion magic, then converts it into a magic formula for storage. That's how, whenever the user wants, the illusion magic activates, and the recorded footage can be viewed through the crystal.』
Ugh, sorry.
I really have no clue what that's supposed to mean with my brain.
『I'll try to explain it even simpler next time...』
『(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ ) ‧º』
Anyway.
Magic tools store mana using mithril like a battery.
And by embedding magic formulas inside, even ordinary people with zero magic knowledge can just press a button to use magic.
That's what a magic tool is.
The Master Cinema Camera was one too.
Right now, ahead of full-scale filming, I'm holding a simple meeting in the theater waiting room.
Of course, it wasn't a huge gathering—just the theater troupe including Livian and a few higher-ups.
Livian was fiddling with the camera in the center.
“You can freely choose the filming angle... and using this editor thing, you can delete or combine the stored footage, right?”
I nodded.
I showed everyone the test footage I'd shot of Dalpi.
"Ooh, even the sound comes through perfectly. The image quality is incomparable to a recording crystal..."
"I thought recording crystals were fixed to an overhead view from above, but with this, you could show various angles depending on the camera's position."
The others marveled at the camera.
But aside from Livian, their expressions were a bit ambiguous.
"It's definitely a solid approach, but..."
"Even if you make the footage, showing it to a large audience might be tough. The screen and sound are too small right now, and there'll probably be resistance to a new medium."
Don't worry.
What I'd prepared wasn't just the camera.
"Dalpi."
"Yes, young master."
Dalpi, who'd been waiting outside the room, brought in the screen and the image projector.
She deftly set up the screen that covered the entire wall.
Meanwhile, I connected the pre-prepared speakers and projector, then removed the metal that served as film from the camera.
'Good. No issues.'
After confirming the magic formula was etched on it, I inserted it into the projector.
As the machine hummed to life normally, Dalpi sensibly turned off the lights.
Hm.
Seeing everyone sitting quietly, focused on the screen.
It felt just like back in my past life, watching a movie in class the day before break.
-Watch this side and state your age and occupation...
"Without exaggeration, I can make the screen thirty times larger than this. The sound too, of course. It's just a matter of upping the specs and size."
I explained that this was merely a prototype.
I also confirmed that the projector's mana consumption was far less than what it captured, so it could run 24/7 for a full year without issue.
Compared to other magic tools that petered out quick, the battery life was insanely good.
'Durability's a weak point, though.'
Eh, it's not like something you'd carry around like a phone, so it'll be fine.
To me, who knew the fun and power of movies, this film equipment was a greater masterpiece than even the Hell Tank.
If this movie succeeded commercially, assuming the public could buy the equipment without much hassle, countless creators would jump into the film industry.
Setting aside ideology and all that, I figured it might birth tons of movies that never existed in my original world.
"......"
That said, even after the footage ended, no one spoke.
They sat with arms crossed, staring at the screen in heavy silence.
Did they not like it?
Movies might feel alien to people here.
They didn't grow up watching masterpieces like I did.
I was gauging reactions, ready to persuade them, when...
Livian shot up from her seat.
"Shall we hold a meeting about filming the movie right now?"
At the princess's words, everyone sprang into action, sharing concrete ideas in perfect unison.
Whew, relief.
Movies require prep in so many areas.
From the script to casting actors and securing locations—tons to consider.
I took the center of the theater troupe, coordinating opinions to lay the groundwork for successful filming.
The meeting dragged on for a full two hours.
After parting ways with everyone, Dalpi and I chatted on the way home.
"Young master."
"Yeah."
"If we're screening movies in theaters, wouldn't it be good to sell food and drinks too? Something easy to eat that doesn't leave trash."
Ooh.
"Great idea. We absolutely will. You're in charge."
"I'm pretty sharp when it comes to stuff like this."
Dalpi seemed really interested in the movie we were making.
I shared stories about various films from my past life.
"If there are such great story ideas, why not write the script yourself instead of handing it to the princess?"
"Because I like her script."
Purely personal opinion here.
I think a Titanic without Leonardo DiCaprio as the male lead would feel off.
***
Livian watched Ester revising her script to fit the movie format right in front of her.
"Movies, unlike plays, allow free scene changes with almost no constraints on time, space, or number of characters. You can be bolder. Also, instead of direct psychological descriptions like in theater, indirect portrayal through scenes and objects will give audiences a stronger sense of realism."
Ester scribbled away, explaining this was the vibe he envisioned for movies.
Livian blinked.
If her script was a straight adaptation of the play, his felt like a guide that let theater audiences experience the story in three dimensions.
You couldn't produce something like this without truly grasping the medium of film.
She imagined countless audiences watching her movie.
Her story coming alive and breathing on the screen.
Hearing Ester's advice clicked everything into place for her.
"Got it."
"It might be hard to grasp all at once. Bring me the content, and I'll revise it..."
"No. Let me give it a shot."
Livian's eyes blazed.
Faced with the princess's voice burning with passion, Ester could only nod slowly.
'It feels like I'm at the center of a new history.'
Originally, recording crystals were just tools made to assess and log frontline situations.
They weren't that significant, and being so expensive, they were used to store and show complex info hard to describe in writing.
But Ester had modded it into a camera.
Unlike recording crystals, you could adjust the angle freely, capture sound, detach the metal for stored footage to edit, and even load it into an image projector for screening.
Compared to the antibiotics and Hell Tank that saved her life, some might call it minor for ordinary folk, but Ester seemed to know the power his invention held.
This thing had the power to birth a new art form.
And that wasn't all.
Just as pens aren't only for drawing.
Beyond filmmaking, the possibilities with this invention were endless, she thought.
Deploy it in high-crime areas for deterrence.
For info delivery, footage beats illustrations.
Used right, it might spawn something revolutionary.
Of course, she knew magic tools were costly, hard to commercialize.
Even so.
A genius right in front of her, directing the theater troupe to film—maybe he could pull it off.
Livian thought so as she revised her script.