Re-written date: 7 / 13 / 2025
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Chapter 29: Test Screening
Even though filming had officially wrapped, Edward had no intention of disbanding the crew.
After all, the TV series could be greenlit next. Disbanding such a tightly knit team now would be a waste.
With that in mind, Edward called everyone together not long after the final shoot.
He proudly announced the end of filming and shared plans to hold a wrap-up party to celebrate.
But before anyone could even react—Edward dropped another bombshell:
"Also, during the celebration... we'll be holding a test screening of the movie."
As was tradition in his original world, a film wasn't truly complete until it had a proper wrap party—and a premiere screening afterward.
But in this world, there was no such thing as post-production editing. Once filming wrapped, the final product was basically complete.
With that in mind, Edward decided to combine the two customs into one big event: a celebration and a test screening on the same night.
It just made sense. KonoSuba wasn't some deep, emotional tragedy. In fact, it was completely the opposite—a light-hearted, ridiculous story. Perfect for screening at a party to help build the atmosphere.
So, Edward made the call.
When the cast heard the news, the reactions were... complicated.
The actors, for one, had some pretty interesting expressions—an awkward mix of embarrassment and curiosity.
But the rest of the staff? They were hyped. Everyone seemed genuinely excited for the premiere.
Lawrence, the monster supplier, even asked if he could bring the Beastkin girl from his home to the party. Naturally, Edward agreed.
Eventually, everyone cheerfully headed off to clean up and prepare for the evening.
The shooting location, once bustling with people, returned to silence. Only Edward remained, holding a long list of names—every actor, crew member, the monster store Lawrence ran, and Viz's name under the music section.
The imaging crystal had dual tracks, which meant even though there had been no music during the shoot, they could still add background music by syncing it afterward.
Viz's compositions had a distinctive flavor, steeped in the culture of this world. But strangely enough, they fit KonoSuba perfectly. Especially the contrast scenes—when the music was overly dramatic, it only made the absurd comedy hit harder.
"Should I just... record this list into the actual film?" Edward muttered.
With no way to roll end credits digitally, the only option was to physically film the name list and tag it onto the end. It didn't have the same impact as rolling credits, but at least it was something.
Then his eyes landed on two specific names: Belldia and Viz.
That gave him pause.
Both of them were technically fugitives in other parts of the Empire. While the Southern Territories had looser oversight, things could still go sideways if someone recognized them.
"I'll have to talk to Grand Duke Viktor... If the Southern Territory Grand Duke personally vouches for them, even the Church or the Knight Orders wouldn't be able to do much."
Muttering to himself, Edward flipped through the list again and ended up chuckling.
A good half of the production roles—director, writer, planner, cinematographer, effects, editing—had only one name beside them: Durin Edward.
But it wasn't like he was trying to take all the credit. He really had done all of it. So he figured it was fair to let his name appear a few extra times.
And with those final touches complete, the KonoSuba live-action movie was now fully finished.
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That night, inside the Adventurers' Guild of Northrick...
All eyes were on him as Edward stepped forward, holding a crystal that shimmered with a faint blue glow. Unlike the others used during filming, this one had a noticeably different material.
In front of a large, clean white wall that had been cleared for the event, Edward channeled magic into the crystal. Instantly, a projection began to hover in midair.
He adjusted the angle slightly—then shifted the crystal's orientation so the image aligned perfectly with the wall.
As he gave a signal, the room's lights dimmed, one by one.
And in that moment, a movie theater-like atmosphere descended on this otherworldly guild hall.
Edward, satisfied with the setup, secured the crystal in place and took a seat in the temporary viewing area, which had been set up inside the guild's main hall.
Tonight, every adventurer who had taken part in the shoot—even just as extras—had shown up. After all, none of them had been paid yet, so Edward figured the least he could do was let them be part of this exclusive premiere.
Plus, it was a great chance to explain what they had actually helped create.
The interior layout of the guild had been rearranged for the event. Long tables were moved to the sides, forming a kind of aisle down the center, and rows of seats were placed in a staggered pattern across the space.
This was Edward's idea, of course. He knew that if he let a bunch of adventurers pick their own seats, the front row would block the view for the back—and chaos would break out before the film even started.
This way, even in a world without theaters, he could at least replicate the cinema experience.
Edward had absolutely no intention of letting a bunch of rowdy adventurers crowd in front of the screen like some kind of cult gathering.
Sure, back in his old world, when he was a kid watching open-air films at the plaza, people did that all the time. But still... there were limits.
What really kept this crowd in line, though, wasn't seating arrangements. It was fear—or more accurately, respect.
After all, Edward had long since made it clear that he was a certified Grand Mage.
Adventurers might not care about noble titles or fancy bloodlines, but when it came to real power, the kind that could wipe out a bandit camp or flatten a forest in seconds—that, they respected.
Even if most of them didn't know what a "test screening" was supposed to be, they kept quiet and stayed in their seats, whispering among themselves as the magical projection began to take shape on the wall.
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At the very front of the makeshift audience area sat Edward himself, flanked by Winry and the film's main cast. Lawrence was there too, along with the young beastkin girl he had taken in.
There wasn't a seat prepared for the Dullahan—mostly because his giant undead body made regular seating kind of... complicated.
Not that it mattered.
With practiced ease, Belldia simply dropped to the floor like a corpse, lying flat with zero resistance. Viz, ever helpful, propped his head up at just the right angle so he could watch the film comfortably.
As Edward settled into his seat, Winry leaned toward him and whispered, "Lord Durin... why did you pick the Adventurers' Guild for this? I thought you'd book a tavern or something for the wrap party."
Edward gave her a small, casual smile. "I was going to rent out a bar at first. But then the guild manager came to me to negotiate over screening rights. Once we reached an agreement, they offered up the guild hall for tonight."
"Screening... rights?" Helena blinked. "What does that even mean?"
Edward simply smiled mysteriously and waved the question off. "I'll explain later. By the way—Megumin, what are you going to do next? Not heading back to the Mage Tower, are you?"
"Mm... Not really. Even if I did, I wouldn't earn enough credits to stay. I'd probably just get expelled."
She pouted, arms crossed. "At least if I stick with you, I can buy a little time. But hey—why'd you suddenly call me Megumin? Zat and the others keep messing it up too. I know my full name's a mouthful, but still..."
Edward, watching the screen as the film's opening scene started to fade in, replied offhandedly, "I just said it because it sounded nice. And 'Megumin' is pretty catchy, right? Anyway, quiet down—it's about to start."
"Yeah, yeah! Megumin's not even that hard to say!"
Aya's voice chimed in from further back, mouth already full of the guild's complimentary snacks.
Thanks to some private negotiations Edward had made behind the scenes, the Adventurers' Guild was sponsoring tonight's party—offering free food and drink to everyone.
So right now, it wasn't just Aya; most of the adventurers were enjoying the rare treat of all-you-can-eat snacks and ale.
But despite the festive air, their attention was locked on the glowing image playing out before them.
This was something completely new—an experience unlike anything they'd had before.
A movie.
Moving pictures.
A full story, captured through magic, told with light and sound.
Even those still chewing on grilled skewers were starting to slow down, eyes wide with curiosity and wonder.