Animation Producer in a Fantasy World

“I come before Your Majesty.”

The day after episode 50 of “Machine God Chronicles” aired, I was summoned by the Emperor and dragged to the Imperial Palace as soon as the sun rose.

Well, I can roughly guess why the Emperor called me.

He’s probably calling me because of the ending of “Machine God Chronicles” that aired last night.

I absolutely refused to reveal it, making all sorts of excuses, thinking that if I showed episode 50 to the Emperor in advance, he would reject it.

So, well, the Emperor must have been quite shocked after watching episode 50.

I could fully understand the Emperor’s current feelings.

‘Because I intentionally made such an ending to shock them.’

In the past, when asked why he made such an ending, the director of ‘that work’ that turned humanity into orange juice reportedly gave this answer:

Because he didn’t like people cooped up in their rooms.

Because he somehow felt disgusted by people who were too immersed in his work.

Viewed positively, it was an attempt to enlighten real people through his work.

Viewed negatively, it was the epitome of hipsterism.

But, what’s important here is:

Despite that director making such an ending for his animated series, surprisingly, there weren’t many people who cursed the director himself.

The ‘experts’ and ‘critics’ who watched the anime gave positive reviews like ‘A direct challenge to modern capitalist society.’ or ‘A scathing criticism of fearful young people who refuse to go outside.’

Of course, the viewers who were watching the anime while scratching their bellies in their rooms were bloodied.

Well, to be honest, it’s an evaluation I don’t understand well.

What’s that, should I say it looks similar to critiques like ‘Clearly woven with ascent and descent….’ in my eyes?

But at the same time, I thought I could use this.

In other words, doesn’t it mean that even if the anime’s ending is extremely crazy, if you pretend to be ‘seemingly profound’ here and there during the development, it’s no longer crazy but becomes a fine work of art?

So I boldly benchmarked it.

The situation where the work’s ending gets cursed but the director doesn’t was exactly the situation I had been hoping for.

Moreover, I had already made episode 50 of “Machine God Chronicles” and even aired it throughout the Empire.

It’s already over, so what can even the Emperor do?

What else can he do besides trembling all over and shouting?

So I was planning to listen generously even if the Emperor ranted a bit about episode 50 of “Machine God Chronicles” today.

Thinking that this would be my last visit to the Imperial Palace and that a brilliant life as a NEET awaits me from now on, showing that much mercy was no big deal.

But.

“…You’ve come, Ragna.”

The Emperor’s atmosphere as he looked at me was somehow ominous.

The Emperor looked at me with his head tilted, then spoke.

“Episode 50 that aired last night. I watched it very well. And I congratulate you on the completion of “Machine God Chronicles”.”
“…Ah, yes. Thank you.”
“However, that doesn’t mean I liked the ending of episode 50. Rather… it was the opposite.”
The Emperor told me, his eyes flashing.
“I’ll be blunt. Episode 50 of “Machine God Chronicles”. Is that really the end of everything?”

“…Pardon?”

“The question is whether that ending where only Kai and Eileen survive on Earth and all other humanity dies was really the best.”

To such a question from the Emperor, I nodded without hesitation.

“Yes, that’s right. At least I think that was the best.”

“…I really don’t like that ending.”

“Art is originally like that. There’s no work that you like from beginning to end.”

When I said that in a very confident tone, the Emperor narrowed his eyes and looked at me.

“So, you’re saying you have no intention of changing the ending?”

“Yes.”

“No matter what happens?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

How can a man born as a man utter two words with one mouth?

As someone who usually aspired to be a manly man, such behavior felt like something I absolutely couldn’t tolerate.

“Sigh… Is that so….”

Meanwhile, the Emperor, who had been quietly looking at me until now, suddenly sighs.

“Then there’s no choice. Although it’s not a method I like, from now on I have no choice but to handle things a bit violently.”

“…?”

“I have no intention of gently sending home someone who dared to try to assassinate me.”

“…Assassination?”

Assassination?

Who assassinated whom?

Don’t tell me… I assassinated the Emperor?

Why on earth?

At that ridiculous false accusation, I immediately got up to escape from this place.

But, right then.

Zzzap-!

As I was hit by magic that bound my body, I felt that I was fucked.

With a desperate feeling, I turned my head, and there was the vile appearance of my master who had cowardly shot magic at the back of my head and was rejoicing.

“…Ragna, I’m sorry. If I cooperate with this matter, His Majesty said he would double our magic tower’s budget…”

“…..”

Ah, fuck.

This is a bit too much, really.

State council meeting.

A meeting where those with the most noble status in the Empire gather to discuss matters related to imperial affairs.

And now, right there, the Emperor and the nobles were talking in a very serious tone.

“Last night, there was an attempt to assassinate me inside the Imperial Palace.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

“To attempt to assassinate Your Majesty who is at the pinnacle of the Empire. That assassin must be a really remarkable person.”

“And he very cunningly did not try to kill me by direct means, but attempted assassination indirectly. For example, by raising my blood pressure by making me furious…”

Saying so, the Emperor looked at me placed in the middle of the conference room like a mannequin.

“…..”

“…..”

Several nobles were also looking at me with expressions that couldn’t be colder.

And among those nobles, for some unknown reason, the fact that my father was also included was really hurting my heart.

“So to summarize Your Majesty’s words, the ending of “Machine God Chronicles” was a terrible weapon that might have taken Your Majesty’s life if things went wrong?”

“Oh, actually, I felt similar emotions while watching the ending yesterday. In that sense, shouldn’t we apply not only the charge of attempted assassination of Your Majesty but also the charge of attempted mass murder?”

“Oh, that’s a thought that couldn’t be wiser.”

“Since he actually killed all of humanity in the ending of “Machine God Chronicles”, let’s go with the charge of mass murder, not ‘attempted’ mass murder!”

“Let’s add the charge of holocaust too! And let’s apply whatever other charges!”

“To be honest, isn’t making such an ending too much of an inhumane criminal act? Rinoa died and my heart is no longer beating…”

“…..”

It was like a crucible of madness itself.

I can assure you, there wasn’t a single sane person among those gathered here.

To begin with, they were seriously discussing how to deal with the director because of the ending of an animation.
It was truly fitting for a Wa no Kuni… no, a fantasy world where human rights don’t exist.
It was something that would be absolutely unimaginable in the Republic of Korea, a 21st century liberal democratic country.
‘No, these psychopaths are really…’
The instincts I had honed in the days of living off subcontracting subcontracts before my reincarnation were frantically giving me warning messages.

They were whispering to me to escape from this place right now.
‘Fuck, but how do I escape from here.’
It was impossible to escape from this place with my master, who sold his disciple for a few coins, watching me.
Well, who should I blame?
It’s my fault for not noticing in advance that my master, whom I trusted so much, was actually a traitor.
“In that sense, I ask the criminal, Ragna Tertion.”
“Do you admit to the facts of attempted assassination of the Emperor using episode 50 of “Machine God Chronicles”, abetting mass murder in the animation, inciting murder, and committing inhumane crimes such as the extinction of humanity?”
“…..”
When did I, who was just quietly making anime in my room, commit such terrifying and horrible crimes?
And what the hell is committing crimes in an animation?
In the end, at this moment, I realized that I had to use the hidden card I had prepared just in case.
“…Your Majesty.”
“What is it? Are you going to say that you’ll change the ending now?”
“Do you know this? The fact that I’m planning to sell a special Blu-ray… no, director’s cut artifact that collects all broadcast versions from episode 1 to 50 of “Machine God Chronicles” soon.”
The Emperor frowns at my words.
“So what? Don’t bring up things unrelated to the ending of episode 50-”
“And in that director’s cut,” I said.
I opened my mouth, taking a very brief deep breath.
“A new ending different from the existing episode 50 will be included. Should I call it the true ending?”
“Wh-What?”
“T-True ending?”
And at my words, the Emperor and the nobles widened their eyes in disbelief.
“Your Majesty. Logically thinking, there’s no way I would make such an ending in my right mind, is there? Originally, to gain momentum, you must first kneel down. I intentionally ended episode 50 like that to draw out a true ending where everyone is happy!”
Thud.
Saying so, I even performed the act of kneeling down to add truthfulness to my words.
“It seems that as the creator of the animation, I troubled Your Majesty’s mind due to my desire to draw a slightly better ending. This is all because of my inadequacy, so please kill this humble servant!”
“Haha, this person. Get up. Don’t make me embarrassed.”
Saying so, the Emperor personally helped me up from the floor.
“Why didn’t you say so from the beginning? I almost misunderstood that you made episode 50 like that on purpose to assassinate me. Hahaha!”
“Hahaha! Your Majesty, your sense of humor is really amazing!”
The Emperor, who was laughing while looking at me like that, suddenly stops laughing and says.
“You didn’t end it like that because you didn’t want to make the next work I’m going to entrust to you, did you? Right?”
“…Absolutely not.”
“Good, let’s do well from now on.”
Pat pat.
The Emperor patted my shoulder and said with a smiling face.
‘Fuck.’
And so.
Second job change to the Emperor’s anime slave.
Completed.