Animation Producer in a Fantasy World

Shortly after the preview of “Sky of Destiny” was released across the entire continent.

I summoned all the staff who had worked with me on “Machine God Chronicles” and “Book of Life and Death” in the past.

No, to be honest, I felt a bit embarrassed to use the word “summon”.

Because most of the staff of the animation production team were already residing in Tersion Barony.

Well, they said it was much more convenient to just move to Tersion Barony rather than spending time going back and forth between the capital and Tersion Barony.

To be honest, I couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry as I listened to their words.

That is, until I heard the words of comfort the staff threw at me with bright smiles.

“It’s nothing, if anything, we feel more sorry to the director. We’re receiving enormous amounts of money as salary while not doing that much work.”

“Haha, do you know that I’ve earned more money working under the director for 1 year than I did rolling around in a nameless theater troupe for over 10 years?”

“I bought a house in Tersion Barony and still had an enormous amount of money left over. When I lived in the capital, I was busy moving from one monthly rent room to another, but here I’ve gotten my own home! This is all thanks to the director. Thank you so much!”

“…?”

And I doubted my ears as I listened to the staff’s words.

What?

So… the current salary that the production team staff are receiving is that enormous?

For me, this was nothing short of a statement I had to say was news to me.

Of course, I am giving quite good treatment to the staff of the animation production team.

Until I spread the genre of animation to this world, people working in the arts were receiving terrible treatment.

You know, just like how people in the arts industry were called “entertainers” and looked down upon before media like television and movies developed on Earth.

In this uncivilized fantasy world too, people working in the arts industry weren’t treated very well.

We don’t have to look far, when I told Duke Grinewald that I wanted to use Serika as a voice actress to produce “The Disappearance of Elli and Hamel”,

Didn’t the Duke and Deneb immediately frown and show some displeasure at my proposal?

…Well, now that I think about it, there’s a higher probability that the Duke and Deneb were just outrageously devoted Serika lovers, but.

Anyway, this world was incomparably uncivilized compared to 21st century Earth, so it meant that making a living solely through art was really difficult.

And, while I might not care about other things, I could never tolerate that.

Because I too had a time when I barely made a living as an unaffiliated freelancer when I was on Earth.

I boldly jumped into that industry with the sole determination to make animations that many people would enjoy watching, but.

In return, when I received petty cash that didn’t even reach minimum wage as daily pay, I would seriously consider quitting this job right now and doing convenience store part-time work instead.

That’s why I wanted the people working under me to not receive such treatment.

So I did tell them to give generous salaries to the people under me, but.

That amount is enough to buy a house with the money saved for a year and still have plenty left over?

I’m not doing volunteer work at UNICEF, there’s no way I’d give out money like that unless I was crazy, right?

I was so dumbfounded that I searched for the cause of this incident, and.

As a result of the investigation, I found out why this happened.

“The staff’s salaries? That’s something you directly instructed, Director.”

“…Excuse me?”

Kaya said with an expression as if it was nothing special.

“I mean… before the production of ‘Machine God Chronicles’ officially started, you told me, didn’t you? That if nothing else, we must treat the staff well. To pay the staff as much salary as possible. And you entrusted that role to me as the assistant director.”

Come to think of it, I think I did say something like that to Kaya.

So… was that right after Kaya was appointed as assistant director?

At that time, I was so busy being fully in charge of producing “Machine God Chronicles” that I dumped trivial things like staff welfare on Kaya.

No, then did Kaya give that much money to the staff because of the instructions I gave?

“Yes, of course. It was a direct and earnest request from you, Director, how could I, as the assistant director, disobey that? As expected, you’re amazing, Director. You not only have noblesse oblige to care for your subordinates, but for yourself as well.”

Kaya said in a very pleased voice, but.

“…..”

Unfortunately, my mood wasn’t as pleased as Kaya’s.
I see, so that’s how things turned out.
In other words… it was my mistake again?

‘Oh shit.’

I wanted to normalize the salaries the staff were receiving right now, but.

No matter what, I didn’t want to do something as petty as taking back salaries that had already been given.

Of course, it remained unchanged that I was still making considerable profits even after giving out that much salary to the staff, but.

I was a person whose goal was to gather retirement funds that I could use until I died of old age as soon as possible and then leave this field.

If this state continues, I’ll have to roll around in this field for another 10 years, making animations without resting for even a moment.

“…..”

It’s truly terrifying beyond words.

I always wanted to retire anyway, but with this, my desire to retire has surged more than twofold.

‘But how do I retire now?’

All the sinister schemes I’ve come up with so far to retire have ended in failure.

I did all sorts of crazy things to meet an ‘honorable death’ while making “Machine God Chronicles”, but.

In the end, far from retiring, didn’t I end up making “Book of Life and Death” and “Sky of Destiny” following “Machine God Chronicles”?

Moreover, this work “Sky of Destiny” is being watched with expectations not only by the Emperor and nobles but by all sorts of countries on the continent, so it’s almost impossible to quit making anime now-

‘No, wait a minute.’

Not only the Empire, but all sorts of countries are currently having expectations for “Sky of Destiny”?

The fact that all countries existing on the continent are watching “Sky of Destiny” with interest means.

If I make even a tiny misstep, I could immediately fall into ruin…?

And more than any other work, this “Sky of Destiny” I’m making now is truly a work where it’s all too easy to make a misstep.

Because “Sky of Destiny” was a work with a sensitive setting where modern mages summon and use heroes from legends of each country.

If I make some hero meet a rather futile end, or show a scene where they’re miserably defeated in battle with another hero.

At least the citizens of that country who have patriotism would automatically be somewhat offended, right?

In fact, even in 21st century Earth, if some statement that seems to disparage a specific country or its citizens appears in a movie or drama, wouldn’t all sorts of controversies arise immediately with sniper videos appearing on YouTube?

Even modern people of the 21st century, who know very well that movies and dramas are mere fiction, can’t avoid being offended.

It would be even more effective on the uncivilized people of the fantasy world who show serious over-immersion symptoms to the animations I make.

Of course, if I force strange developments too much, I might not retire from the position of animation director, but my life might be retired, but.

I’ve already eaten the experience of producing “Machine God Chronicles” and “Book of Life and Death”, so can’t I control that much?

Currently, my head was overflowing with endless ideas on how to roll the Knight King and heroes from other countries.

So this time it’s certain.

This work called “Sky of Destiny” will be able to surely lead me to the path of retirement.

‘No, that alone is a bit lacking.’

Having already seen blood many times while making “Machine God Chronicles” and “Book of Life and Death”, I decided to take out one more insurance.

Do you know who the most hated group is by directors or writers when producing dramas or movies related to professional occupations in 21st century Earth?

It’s the professionals who can’t stand the parts that were inevitably adapted to produce the drama or movie and make enormous protests about “historical inaccuracies”.

Well, in fact, that’s a very natural thing in a way.

Isn’t it stranger not to protest when wrong common sense related to that occupation could spread in society because of the drama or movie?

But apart from that, it was also a clear fact that their protests put the brakes on dramas or movies that were showing well.

So I was planning to use that.

Coincidentally, doesn’t “Sky of Destiny” have a bunch of professionals with knowledge in fields that ordinary people can’t understand at all?

‘That is… professionals called mages.’

If I spout ridiculous ‘magic’ that doesn’t exist in the world along with plausible theories, wouldn’t their eyes roll back too?

So I forcibly stuffed it into the work.

Some ‘magic’ that is expected to press the seizure switch of mages watching “Sky of Destiny” in the distant future.

By the way, I’ll have to name this magic… what would be best to call it?

‘Hmm, since it’s a type of magic that constructs barriers… wouldn’t it be good to name it ‘Domain Expansion’ out of respect?’

Because Domain Expansion is the senior and ancestor technique of all barrier-creating techniques.

Right?