Chapter 67

Thus, a whopping two months have passed since the conclusion of the work titled “Life and Death Register.”

And during those two months, the lives of the Empire’s citizens underwent drastic changes.

“Uwaaaah… I need an animation… I want to watch an animation….”

“The pain of Saturday nights is unbearable… Why won’t Director Ragnar release a new anime…?”

“It’s been two months already! Why haven’t we heard any news about a new project?! WHY?!”

“Boooohoo… Waaaahh…”

People were wandering around as if their IQ had dropped by half, desperately searching for Ragnar’s next masterpiece.

By now, for the citizens of the Empire, anime was no longer just entertainment—it had become the very source that elevated their quality of life, akin to oxygen itself.

Thus, deprived of anime, they were wallowing in despair like people who’d lost their one true joy in life.

Back when anime didn’t exist, the Empire’s citizens would pass their time reading medieval Earth-like literature or fairy tale books. But now, thanks to televisions installed everywhere, they could enjoy dopamine-fueled anime every weekend.

Even better, with a little investment, you could buy artifacts containing recorded anime and rewatch them anytime!

Though it had only been about a year since Ragnar released anime masterpieces like “Knight Shin Chronicle” and “Life and Death Register,” that short span completely revolutionized the world.

But now, with both “Knight Shin Chronicle” and “Life and Death Register” concluded, the people had lost their legal means of dopamine hits. They were suffering withdrawal symptoms worse than any drug addict.

And eventually, they made a choice they shouldn’t have…

“Hey, what anime are you watching? That doesn’t look like ‘Knight Shin Chronicle’ or ‘Life and Death Register’…”

“Oh, this? It’s a new anime from the big trading companies.”

“A new anime? But I heard Director Ragnar’s next project is still in production…?”

“Nope, this isn’t Ragnar’s work. The big trading companies developed it themselves.”

“What?!”

While people were craving anime but Ragnar’s next project showed no signs of release, the large trade guilds seized the opportunity to unveil anime they’d secretly prepared.

It was only natural. Everyone in the Empire knew how much profit Ragnar made from “Knight Shin Chronicle” and “Life and Death Register.” And these trade guilds, who wouldn’t hesitate to sell even their own parents for money, couldn’t possibly ignore the honey pot called anime.

Of course, the guilds did pay Ragnar a hefty sum under the guise of “royalties,” but Serika and Karlreya found their actions utterly despicable.

“Ragnar, do you really plan to sit back and do nothing? Over such a measly amount?”

“Yes. It’s disgraceful how they try to brush this situation aside with such petty cash. If you give us the order, Director, we’ll take appropriate measures.”

“…”

Ragnar, who was gleefully grinning over receiving a “measly” amount equivalent to an entire year’s income of the Baronage Terison, suddenly felt his mood plummet.

Ah, so that’s how it is.

To Her Majesty the Empress and the Dukehouse’s beloved daughter, even the annual income of a baronage must seem like pocket change, huh?

Suddenly, I feel like starting a red revolution…

If Ricardo organizes another Soviet, should I seriously consider joining him?

Swallowing the sticky emotions rising in his chest, Ragnar spoke in a lackadaisical tone.

“Hmm, do we *really* need to take action?”

“…Pardon?”

“I don’t particularly feel the need to interfere with their anime production.”

Frankly, Ragnar couldn’t understand why Serika and Karlreya were making such a fuss. If the guilds had plagiarized the stories of “Knight Shin Chronicle” or “Life and Death Register,” then there might’ve been a problem. But they had created original stories—legally and morally sound.

Sure, Ragnar may have been the first to introduce the concept of “anime” to this world, but that didn’t mean he owned exclusive rights to it.

Moreover…

‘Isn’t it good that more people besides me are starting to create anime in this world?’

That was true. Currently, the anime market was entirely dominated by Ragnar’s works, which led to people obsessively hanging onto his creations. However, it also meant excessive expectations were placed on him as the sole supplier.

After all, it had only been two months since “Life and Death Register” ended, yet people were already eagerly anticipating his next masterpiece.

Even with magic allowing faster production than on Earth, Ragnar’s output was absurd. Who else could produce over three full-length anime series in just one year?

But if large trade guilds started producing more anime and expanded the market, things might change.

‘If people don’t expect my next masterpiece because other amazing anime exists, maybe I can step away gracefully.’

Eventually, Ragnar could live a life lounging in his room, enjoying the countless anime flooding the market each year, Netflix-style.

Perfect.

It was truly a flawless life plan.

So Ragnar silently cheered them on, praying that the new anime from the trade guilds would surpass his own works in awesomeness.

But…

“What the hell is this?! These animations are garbage!”

“Damn it! The cover looked decent, but this is pure trash!”

“Do these morons think anything that moves counts as anime? The fundamentals are a mess! A complete disaster!”

Not a single person who purchased and watched the trade guilds’ anime was satisfied—or refrained from cursing.

The guilds had meticulously analyzed Ragnar’s works while creating their own anime, but they simply couldn’t match up in terms of story development or direction.

This was inevitable. While Ragnar had deeply studied animation techniques and methods in his previous life as a freelancer, the guilds had blindly jumped into anime creation without understanding the basics.

From a viewer’s perspective, even small details and compositions that seemed trivial contributed significantly to the overall quality of an anime—a fact the guilds hadn’t grasped.

As a result, their anime appeared crude compared to Ragnar’s masterpieces, which had raised viewers’ standards sky-high.

“Sigh… I had some hope, but this was expected, wasn’t it?”

“Can fake ever surpass the real thing?”

“Clearly, the only anime worth trusting from the start has always been Director Ragnar’s work.”

“From now on, I won’t watch any trash. I’ll hold my breath and wait for Director Ragnar’s next masterpiece. Sniff!”

“…”

Unaware that someone’s small retirement dream had shattered, the people continued to long for Ragnar’s next creation.

“F*** it, I give up.”

In a somewhat self-abandoning state of mind, Ragnar revealed the promotional video for his next masterpiece.

And then…

“…Who dares ask?”

On a moonlit night,

a knight-like girl appeared almost like a mirage, rescuing a boy in peril.

Her beauty and nobility were so exquisite she seemed otherworldly.

As the audience gazed at her in awe, feeling her purity radiating even beyond the screen, she opened her lips with a voice as beautiful as her appearance.

“Are you my Master?”

“…!”

That day,

all casual fans within the Empire faced their destined fate.