Animation Producer in a Fantasy World

“I’ll tell you the conclusion. What you’re doing now is nothing more than murder.”

Zodiac, the worst serial killer in history who has been committing indiscriminate murders targeting criminals across the entire continent recently.

Towards such Zodiac, the detective ‘Alpha’, who has solved countless cases while hiding his face until now, opens his mouth in a stern voice on the screen.

“Just now, you killed the man who appeared on the broadcast as my proxy. From the moment you killed that innocent man, you fell to the position of a mere murderer.”

“…”

“People have no right to judge others. Even less right to kill people as they please. In other words, it means you’re nothing more than a criminal no different from those you’ve killed so far.”

“So you’re simply evil, Zodiac.”

Listening quietly to Alpha’s words, the protagonist Louis laughs as if dumbfounded.

In his hand, he was currently holding the Book of Life and Death received from the Shinigami.

“You say I’m evil? No, I am justice. I’m a god-like being who will overthrow this rotten world full of evil and create a world filled with good people.”

“You’re nothing but a psychopath who thinks you’re a god with the right to judge others.”

“Then you’ll be the idiot who’ll soon be killed by this psychopath.”

At a glance, it seemed as if the two were communicating across space, but.

In reality, it was not a conversation, but merely spewing out what they wanted to say.

And seeing their scene, the Shinigami standing behind Louis smiles.

“Kuhehe…. Without knowing each other’s names or identities, they’re trying to kill each other by any means?”

“Indeed, humans are very… interesting.”

“…Cut.”

I, who had been watching the recording work up to that point, called out the cut sign in an indifferent voice, and.

“It’s amazing. I never thought the recording work for animation was done like this.”

And right beside me, there was one person looking at all that scene with admiring eyes.

“This is similar to the scene of breathing life into inanimate objects. It’s really… beautiful. Isn’t this equivalent to a god molding his creation?”

“…..”

If it had been an ordinary person spewing such cringeworthy impressions beside me, I would have immediately chased them out, but.

Unfortunately, this guy’s identity was not just an ordinary person, but Prince Kaisel von Rihardt of the Kingdom of Rihardt.

It was none other than because of the issue of importing “Book of Life and Death” to the Kingdom of Rihardt that he came to visit me like this today.

“I didn’t think Your Highness would come to see me in person.”

“What do you mean? How could I send just anyone for such an important matter as importing animation to the kingdom?”

Kaisel jumped up and showed an extreme reaction to my words.

“The citizens of our kingdom are also very much looking forward to Ragna-nim’s next work following “Machine God Chronicles”. Ragna-nim’s animation is the only drug allowed to citizens in our kingdom.”

“…..”

“But… the theme of this new work is very interesting. A story about a person with the ability to kill others without touching them, and a detective trying to catch him…”

Saying so, Kaisel clicks his tongue as if somewhat regretful.

“Actually, I heard from the Imperial Princess that Ragna-nim’s next work was supposed to be a story related to the Knight King legend. I was really looking forward to it, thinking a great person from our kingdom might appear in the animation, so it’s a bit disappointing.”

“…..”

At Kaisel’s words, I turned my head and stared at Kaya, and.

Kaya seemed a bit burdened by my gaze and only avoided my eyes.

Well, I wasn’t unconcerned about how Kaya came to leak information related to the next work, but.

There was one part in Kaisel’s words that I couldn’t simply ignore.

“…You say the Knight King is a great person of the kingdom? As far as I know, I thought the Knight King was the founder of the Empire.”

That’s right.

According to what Kaya told me, the Knight King was the person who founded the Empire and at the same time the person called the progenitor of the imperial family.

But why does Kaisel call such a Knight King a great person of the kingdom?

To my question, Kaisel tilted his head and opened his mouth.

“Hm? Didn’t you know? The title of Knight King was quite common in the history of the continent.”

“…Pardon?”

“The Prince’s words are correct, Director. The title of Knight King is not a title given only to the founder of our Empire.”

Kaya agreed with Kaisel’s words in an indifferent tone.

“In the Empire, we prevented others from using that title to avoid damaging the dignity of the founder, but other countries had no need to do so. As far as I know, there are about five people called ‘Knight King’ in the history of the continent.”

“…..”

At first glance, it was quite an absurd story, but.

Thinking about it carefully, it wasn’t a completely unreasonable story.

Because I also knew that there were several kings on Earth who called themselves ‘Knight King’.

‘Honestly speaking, Knight King is a cool title.’

It’s similar to how the title of Heavenly Demon is such an awesome title that now everyone uses it.

Well, there’s no way there could be copyright on titles, and how could you stop people from other countries from calling themselves that if they want to?

“But there’s a part in Your Highness’s words that I can’t simply ignore. Wouldn’t the Knight King in the animation the Director is making naturally be the founder of our Empire? Logically speaking, there’s no way the Director would make the kingdom’s Knight King appear in the animation, right?”

“Haha, Imperial Princess. I too acknowledge that the Empire’s Knight King was great, but our kingdom’s Knight King was no pushover either. He was brave enough to be called the ‘Lion King’, and was such a superhuman that he could single-handedly kill hundreds of enemy soldiers-”

Thus, Kaya and Kaisel started a Pokémon battle about whose country’s Knight King was the more awesome figure, but.

I wasn’t very interested in the debate unfolding between the two.

Because just now, while listening to their conversation, I came up with a quite good idea.

“Excuse me, Lady Kaya. Let’s have a talk for a moment.”

“Our Empire’s Knight King was a demigod, and is famous for the legend of founding the Empire by gathering all the treasures existing on earth…. No, I’m still in the middle of a conversation with the Prince-”

Thus, I dragged Kaya, who couldn’t let go of her VS debate, to a secluded place and quietly opened my mouth.

“I’ll be blunt. Lady Kaya. Isn’t it a bit annoying that kings of other countries are using the same title as the founder of our Empire?”

“…Pardon? Well… it is quite annoying.”

Kaya muttered so, clicking her tongue as if something was very displeasing.

“To begin with, the Empire’s Knight King existed as far back as three thousand years ago, appearing in the very front part of the continent’s history books. But these nobodies born after him are using the title of Knight King as they please without knowing their place!”

Kaya speaks so, fuming as if she had a lot of pent-up resentment.

And I started whispering to such Kaya in a voice that couldn’t be more cunning.

“I think the same as Lady Kaya. The founder of our Empire should rightfully receive the most precious treatment, but does it make sense that he’s sharing the title of Knight King with great people from other countries?”

“Exactly!”

“But you know. If we feature the Knight King in the next work after “Book of Life and Death”, won’t the same thing happen?”

Here, I deliberately clicked my tongue to irritate Kaya’s nerves.

“Just looking at Kaisel-nim just now, didn’t he misunderstand and think of his kingdom’s great person as soon as he heard the title ‘Knight King’? It’s the same. There’s a possibility that other countries might claim that character as their country’s great person when they see the title Knight King.”

“That… can’t be. I absolutely cannot allow that!”

Kaya’s face turns pale, as if she had actually imagined such a future.

Looking at such Kaya, I decided to drive in the final nail.

“In that sense, what do you think about giving the Knight King a new title in the animation we’ll make as the successor to “Book of Life and Death”?”

“…Pardon? A new title?”

“For such a great person who is the founder of our Empire, wouldn’t it be fine to have another great title besides ‘Knight King’? He already has titles like First Emperor or War God anyway.”

“That’s… true.”

After all, the more business cards or official positions one has, the cooler it is.

“According to my research, the Knight King was a superhuman hero who could handle not only swords but all kinds of weapons including spears and bows. In other words, he could be said to be like a king of heroes incomparable to heroes from other countries.”

Saying so, I snapped my fingers and opened my mouth.

“The progenitor of all heroes. And the superhuman appearing in the oldest history.”

“In that sense, how about calling him the ‘King of Heroes’?”