Chapter 182: Part 1: Steins;Gate – The Butterfly's Flap of Fate
"You've arrived, Wilhelm. And the rest of the Knight Order as well."
As familiar faces filled the room, Belldia, seated comfortably in his usual spot, offered a warm greeting without hesitation.
But then, his eyes landed on the unfamiliar elderly man and the young girl standing beside Wilhelm, and confusion immediately took over his expression.
"These two are…?"
Before Wilhelm could speak, coughing lightly as if to preface a reluctant explanation, the elderly man himself raised a hand, gently stopping him.
"Greetings, everyone. I'm merely a humble noble from the Imperial Capital," the old man said with a polite smile. "I've known General Wilhelm and Baron Durin for quite some time. I heard about the wonderful films being made here from Baron Durin, and brought my young daughter with me to see them for ourselves."
"I see."
Belldia nodded, and the others quickly followed suit, expressions of understanding spreading among the group.
After all, the fame of these films had long since spread beyond the southern territory. Now, audiences from across the empire—even from the faraway capital—would often journey here just to experience the unique allure of these moving pictures.
Only Wilhelm and the other knights showed a flicker of awkward stiffness. Yet, seeing as His Majesty clearly had no intention of revealing his true identity, they wisely chose to hold their tongues.
"So this is the tavern that houses Baron Durin film studio, is it?" the elder man—Emperor Hubbard, though none dared speak the name—said casually, surveying the humble interior. "Rather modest, I must say."
But the moment his gaze swept over Belldia, Saeki, and especially Latisha—whose entire being seemed to scream "not a normal human"—his expression faltered for the briefest moment.
Still, the old Emperor had a will of iron. Without the slightest hesitation, he forced a smile and added, "And these fine folks must be part of the studio staff? They certainly… look the part."
It seemed he struggled to find a fitting word, but his awkward grin smoothed it over.
Unaware of their guest's true identity, the studio members welcomed him with their usual chaotic energy.
Belldia, fully in character as the barkeep, poured a drink and raised a toast—before sliding the glass toward none other than Princess Amy, who was clearly underage. Wilhelm's eyebrow twitched violently, but in the end, he neither stopped him… nor dared to.
Helena had already cozied up next to Princess Amy, whispering secrets like they were old friends.
Saeki and Latisha didn't seem particularly invested in the guest, but would exchange a few words here and there out of politeness.
Aya enthusiastically declared she would perform a talent show on the spot—only to be knocked flat by Zat in an instant.
Despite this being his first experience of the Edward Tavern's infamous "warm hospitality," Emperor Hubbard showed no sign of discontent. On the contrary, he adapted quickly and even seemed to enjoy himself.
The knights were left utterly dumbfounded. None of them had any idea how to respond to what they were seeing.
Meanwhile, the only two people who felt something was seriously off were Winry and Chase. They kept staring at the old man, feeling a strange sense of familiarity. But as natives of the South who had never once set foot in the capital, it wasn't exactly strange they failed to recognize the Emperor himself.
. . . . . . . . .
While the Edward Tavern was buzzing with its usual madness, elsewhere in town—inside a modest hotel room—the Beastkin Oracle and Juno were deep in discussion about the film they had watched that morning. The Oracle, ever diligent, recorded everything they'd seen in meticulous detail.
Though he had been told that these "movies" were merely a form of human entertainment, the Beastkin Oracle wasn't the type to take such things at face value.
To him, whether film or television, anything capable of showing such vivid events—so real they could be felt—had to be grounded in a deeper, hidden truth. A real system, operating just beneath the surface, holding everything together.
After all, if the butterfly's wings could stir a storm, then what kind of fate could such a film ripple into motion?
Whether it was the strategic mindset revealed in Fate/Zero, with its brutal Holy Grail War and summoned Heroic Spirits, or the dissection of the soul and the mystic "Mystic Eyes" featured in The Garden of Sinners, everything about these films sent a sharp, unmistakable signal of danger to the Beastkin Oracle.
To him, these weren't mere entertainment. They were far too real.
So while organizing his notes and observations from the screening, he couldn't help but frown. Nearby, Juno watched him with a mixture of admiration and concern, before hesitantly asking:
"Lord Oracle… why did you agree to act alongside the Emperor of all people? Isn't that… too risky? What if it exposes your identity?"
To this, the Beastkin Oracle responded in a calm, unshaken voice:
"I merely judged that moving alongside the Emperor would give me better access to the truth hidden behind these films. After all, if such creations can be made and shown publicly, there must be some level of consent from the highest echelons of human society. You can see the hidden truths in the way they don't react to certain things."
"I see! As expected of Lord Oracle!"
Juno's eyes sparkled with respect. She had been part of the Edward Tavern for quite some time now, and yet she hadn't been able to gather any significant intelligence. In contrast, the Oracle had landed vital clues on his first day. The difference in their abilities as spies couldn't be clearer.
But the Beastkin Oracle didn't allow himself to feel pride at her words. If anything, he was still quietly reeling from the fact that he had agreed to the arrangement in the first place.
If his goal had been to avoid attention, the obvious choice would have been to decline.
And yet… in that moment, when the human Emperor had spoken to him about films—spoken to him not as a ruler, but as a fellow viewer—he had instinctively accepted. What unsettled him even more was the faint sense of affinity he'd felt.
He couldn't understand it. He didn't want to understand it.
And so, he could only heighten his caution, hoping that the next film—scheduled for the afternoon—would offer deeper insights. Perhaps even the truth he sought.
. . . . . . . . . .
Imperial Mage Academy.
By the time Edward finally finished explaining the intricate details of Fate/Zero and The Garden of Sinners to the assembled Arch Mages—complete with magical theory breakdowns, plot synopses, and extensive footnotes—he had already spent an entire half-day fending off their relentless curiosity.
Only once he solemnly swore never again to pause mid-plot arc or delay releasing new content, were they finally satisfied enough to let him go.
Afternoon had arrived.
And with it, the long-awaited screening of the next title on the Frostlight Film Festival schedule—Steins;Gate.
"A new movie? Already?"
Arch Mage Warton's face lit up like a child receiving a festival prize.
Edward, exhausted but composed, nodded.
"I've already coordinated with the student council. Same setup as before—screening will be held in the plaza under a Shadow Veil."
"Ohoho! Splendid! Something new to feast the mind on!"
Seeing the grand smiles blooming on the faces of the gathered Arch Mages, Edward let out a quiet sigh of relief.
'Finally, I'm free…'
As he made his way toward the broadcast station, he noted how eerily quiet the campus had become. With nearly every student heading off to watch the film, even the usually overworked Magitech Alchemy Branch slaves had vanished.
Only one person remained at the station.
Ska, the lone operator.
Well, technically, the station didn't need human supervision. As a Magitech, the broadcasting tower was fully autonomous. Ska was just there as a safety precaution, making sure nothing interfered with the playback.
"Yo, Ska! Still poking around here, huh? Come on, the new movie's about to start. Let's go catch it together."
Despite the casual invitation, Ska didn't even flinch. His face remained as stern and unreadable as ever.
He simply replied, voice flat as ever—
"You go ahead," Ska said, his tone as stubborn as ever. "I still need to monitor the broadcast tower. If the alchemical formation malfunctions, no one will be able to view the screenings properly."
Hearing that persistent response, Edward didn't push further. He just grinned and replied casually,
"You say that, but today's television programming is already over, isn't it? There's nothing more scheduled for the afternoon. And this new movie? It's something truly special—definitely the kind that'll blow a mage's mind. How about it? Come watch it with me?"
"Ugh… well…"
Faced with Edward's cheerful insistence, Ska eventually gave in. He nodded with a quiet sigh, and the two of them left the Alchemy Tower together.
. . . . . . . . .
Nosrick City.
After the morning's screening concluded, most viewers had gone home for lunch… only to return and start lining up at the theater again, braving the cold winds with zero hesitation.
And now, with the television broadcast over for the day, even the usual crowd from the pub-cinemas had surged toward the main movie theaters instead.
Fortunately, Edward had been foresighted enough to instruct Viscount Baniel to invest heavily in building out theater infrastructure across the southern territory—regardless of cost. Even if it meant overbuilding, there was to be no shortage of seats.
Thanks to that, even as wave after wave of audience members poured in, not a single screening sold out. No one was turned away disappointed.
As for the scalpers who'd begun creeping in—they were swiftly dealt with by Baniel's cooperation with the Southern Militia.
Strict punishment, no exceptions.
The result?
Scalping died off almost immediately. Not even the boldest dared test the waters again.
And now, as the line outside the theater slowly advanced, everyone was caught up in excited chatter.
"Finally! A brand new movie!"
"Part 1: Steins;Gate – The Butterfly's Flap of Fate… what kind of story will this one be?"
"I've been looking forward to this since yesterday! I bet it's gonna be another Fate/Zero-level epic!"
"Not so fast. Fate/Zero isn't even finished yet. I doubt Director Durin would rush out another big-budget project like that at the same time. My guess? Probably something more like Goblin Slayer—another adventure flick."
"But we've already had two adventure ones, right? And honestly, that kind of story fits better on the small screen. The atmosphere just feels right in the tavern theaters."
"Yeah, totally. If I had to guess, it might be more like The Garden of Sinners—dark, mysterious, and suspenseful. That kind of vibe needs the big screen!"
"Well, whatever it is, we'll find out soon enough. For now, all we can do is hope for the best!"
Their anticipation was palpable.
Among them stood two familiar figures: Joseph and Sam, a pair of adventurers, eagerly chatting as they waited in line like everyone else.
"Thanks again for spotting me," Joseph said sheepishly. "Otherwise I'd be trading tomorrow's lunch for a movie ticket."
"Haha, think nothing of it!" Sam clapped him on the back. "Right now, I just want something to heal my heart… something to patch up the deep wounds left by those cliffhangers in Fate/Zero and Garden of Sinners! I swear, the wait is killing me!"
Their banter blended with the general hum of conversation outside the theater.
At the same time, not far from the crowd, the Beastkin Oracle and Juno had arrived as well, smoothly regrouping with Emperor Hubbard and his entourage.
As the screening time drew near, the atmosphere grew increasingly electric.
Everyone—be they nobles or adventurers, scholars or spies—was brimming with curiosity and anticipation.
After all, this was a brand-new film from Director Durin.
No one knew what genre it would be.
No one knew what story it would tell.
And that only made the excitement burn hotter.
<+>
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