Thus, the morning after the first episode of “Fate’s Sky” aired.
I was sipping my coffee with a rather pleasant feeling. Even though I’ve reincarnated into this fantasy world, I, at my core, am still a civilized man who has an undeniable preference for drinking coffee in the morning.
But today, the taste of the coffee I’m gulping down feels particularly special.
The reason is simple.
Because yesterday, the first episode of “Fate’s Sky” aired, and I can roughly guess what kind of chaos it might have caused by now.
Heheheh.
That’s right.
As I had warned the staff beforehand, I deliberately crafted the first episode of “Fate’s Sky.”
First off, I included a scene where Yuri, the protagonist, gets killed off in a completely meaningless and powerless manner at the end of the first episode.
While Yuri may be someone whose presence evokes some sort of awkwardness—like a junior showing up every morning to cook or a beautiful classmate inexplicably acting friendly—she is still the main character of this story.
And that main character got abruptly murdered without any foreshadowing or warning, just randomly stabbed by someone. Can you imagine how bewildered the viewers watching this unfold in real-time must have felt?
Moreover, the one who killed Yuri wasn’t just anyone—it was Chris, the Hero summoned through the ‘Full Moon Ritual’ from the Federation.
Chris killed Yuri simply because the ritual, which was supposed to remain secret, was witnessed by someone who wasn’t supposed to see it.
Not only did he do this in the middle of the Academy, where there could easily be unrelated people around, but as soon as someone saw him, he immediately executed Yuri.
This alone was enough to make the audience watching the anime think of Chris as nothing more than a psycho killer.
But I didn’t stop there—I made Chris deliver a few lines.
Specifically:
“…How absurd. Taking the life of an ordinary person who knows nothing, yet still claiming to be a hero.”
“But there’s nothing I can do. I serve a new master now, and as a warrior, I merely follow their orders.”
Take a look at that.
No matter what excuse someone gives, killing another human being is never a righteous act.
Yet Chris spouts some utterly ridiculous excuses to justify his own actions.
Doesn’t that seem too much like a petty tyrant for someone considered a great historical hero?
Though, it’s highly likely that most citizens of the Empire wouldn’t care whether Chris killed someone or not.
However, among those in the Federation who revere Chris as a hero, there’s no doubt that “Fate’s Sky” caused quite a stir last night.
Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if a section titled [Ragnar Terison/Controversies and Incidents] appeared on KnowYourMemesWiki.
At this point, someone should be coming soon…
Just as I was glancing at the clock, anxiously waiting for a visitor.
Knock knock.
“Uh… Director?”
It was Reiz knocking on my door before speaking very cautiously.
“There’s… someone here to see you, Director.”
“Visitor? What visitor?”
“It’s… the Ambassador from Silgeia Federation. He says he wants to talk to you about last weekend’s airing of the first episode of ‘Fate’s Sky.'”
Upon hearing Reiz’s words, I couldn’t help but feel triumphant inside.
Of course, it was bound to happen eventually.
After all, it would be strange if the Federation side stayed quiet after seeing their hero portrayed as a simple psychopathic murderer by some random baron in an anime.
How could they not get mad? Huh?
Right at that moment, while I was smirking in satisfaction—
“Director! Ragnar Director!”
The Federation ambassador, whom I had met once before when discussing which hero to include in “Fate’s Sky,” stormed into my room.
Clearly flustered, his breathing was uneven, and his face was bright red.
Anyone could tell he was absolutely furious.
Definitely here to complain about the developments in “Fate’s Sky,” huh?
“Hmm, it’s been a while. What brings you here so early in the morning, Ambassador?”
As I feigned ignorance with an annoying expression while looking at the ambassador,
The ambassador stared at me with a beet-red face, then stepped closer—
“Director…! I trusted you…!”
Thud.
Suddenly, the ambassador dropped to his knees in front of me and spoke with a voice full of emotion.
“I’m moved. I never expected that Director Ragnar, a foreigner, would depict our country’s hero so perfectly in this anime!”
“…?”
What is this guy saying?
“To be honest, I was a bit worried before watching the first episode of ‘Fate’s Sky.’ But after watching it yesterday, I realized my worries were baseless!”
The ambassador said this with a somewhat excited tone.
“The Chris depicted in yesterday’s first episode of ‘Fate’s Sky’ was exactly the Chris we’ve always known. It was truly perfect. That is the true image of a great hero that we’ve always believed in!”
“…”
Naturally, I couldn’t understand what he was talking about.
So, what exactly is going on?
Did this guy really watch the anime I made?
How could he possibly leave with such an impression after watching yesterday’s first episode?
“Uh… Did you perhaps feel anything else odd after watching yesterday’s episode?”
“What do you mean?”
“Like… maybe I distorted history or something? Or perhaps tarnished the honor of the hero Chris?”
As I subtly tried to steer the conversation toward highlighting my sins,
“Hahaha! No way! The Chris I saw in yesterday’s anime was flawless. He embodied the heroic boldness combined with the ruthlessness needed to cut down even a friend if necessary. Truly, the image of a great hero!”
The ambassador laughed heartily as he said this.
“…You mean, even though the hero Chris brutally killed the innocent protagonist Yuri in the first episode, you still felt that way?”
“Ah, but isn’t that entirely Yuri’s fault?”
The ambassador blinked twice as if he genuinely couldn’t understand my question.
“As someone who has studied magic to some extent, you must know that mages will stop at nothing to protect their knowledge and secrets. So, isn’t it more surprising that someone who witnessed such a powerful ritual was let go alive?”
With that, the ambassador clicked his tongue.
“If you’re going to hide, hide properly. Otherwise, run away without seeing anything. Doing neither and just standing there gawking means getting stabbed right there is completely justified, doesn’t it?”
“…”
For a moment, I was speechless listening to the ambassador’s words.
Are you kidding me, seriously?
Even though the protagonist died.
Alright, technically she’s supposed to come back in the second episode, and I did plant some hints for that—but still!
The protagonist dies at the hands of your country’s hero in the first episode!
And your reaction is basically, “She deserved it, so what’s the problem?”
Huh? Really?
“This is great. Thanks to you, Director Ragnar, I’ll have a wonderful time every weekend for the next few months. It would have been even better if the citizens of my homeland could enjoy this live, but it’s a bit disappointing.”
“…Oh, right. I remember the Federation hasn’t officially distributed televisions yet.”
That’s why they watch anime by playing recorded broadcasts on artifacts in public places, right?
Well, technically, the Empire only started mass-distributing TVs because of the airing of “Knight Shin Chronicle,” so I can’t really criticize them for that.
“But don’t worry too much. Once the Red Revolution happens, our Federation will also become a nation that guarantees the rights of its viewers, just like the Empire.”
“…Excuse me?”
Suddenly, I began to doubt my own ears.
So, what exactly is supposed to happen where?
Seeing my puzzled expression, the ambassador shrugged and replied.
“Ah, recently I had a chance to talk with a young man named Ricardo. He turned out to be an extraordinary youth with grand ideas—so smart that it was hard to believe he failed his art school entrance exam.”
“…”
I agree with that.
That guy probably would’ve made the world a more peaceful place if he’d just gotten into art school.
“That young man told me this: In order for our Federation’s citizens to have the right to watch anime, a revolution is necessary. And he offered me the position of second-in-command in the Soviet Union, which I accepted without hesitation. Ha ha, isn’t that wonderful?”
Ha ha, laughing, the ambassador continued telling me all this.
But as I listened to his words, I couldn’t find it in myself to laugh.
Soviet Union… Second-in-command…
“…Ice pick.”
“Pardon?”
“Just in case, please… be careful of ice picks in the future.”
“…?”
The ambassador looked completely baffled by my words.
But I didn’t explain further to him.
Because even if I did, these uncivilized fantasy-world humans wouldn’t understand what I meant anyway.
Anyway, I gave him a heads-up just in case.
So, I’m not at fault here.
Got it?
Catler