Chapter 58: Goblin Slayer Premiere

Re-written date: 7 / 17 / 2025

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Chapter 58: Goblin Slayer Premiere

It was supposed to be just another ordinary day.

Yet in an instant, the city of Nosrick was once again shaken to its core. The source of the upheaval? None other than the ever-busy Nosrick Cinema, now the epicenter of excitement.

The reason was simple—and completely expected.

Edward Durin, the famed director behind KonoSuba: A Blessing to This Wonderful World, had done it again. His newest film was finished and now set for its world premiere!

The announcement struck like a lightning bolt.

Not only did Nosrick erupt with excitement, but towns and cities in the surrounding region buzzed with the news as well. People began pouring into Nosrick from all directions, eager to be among the first to witness Edward's latest masterpiece—Goblin Slayer.

Almost overnight, what was once a slow and fractured flow of information in this magic-based world turned into a lightning-fast web of communication, all thanks to this one film announcement. For the first time, the vast and sprawling southern territory found themselves syncing to the same rhythm—connected by nothing less than magic, or more specifically, teleportation magic circles.

Yes, the moment the news dropped, those wealthy enough to afford teleportation spells began spreading the word like wildfire, and their enthusiasm unknowingly sparked a full-blown communication revolution.

The man running Nosrick Cinema, Baniel, had originally planned to price the premiere tickets at five gold coins each—a bit expensive, sure, but manageable for nobles and merchants.

What he didn't expect was that even middle-class citizens, who could barely be considered "well-off," would show up in droves, scraping together their savings just for a chance to see the premiere.

The demand became so overwhelming that he had no choice but to jack up the price to an absurd fifty gold coins per ticket—the equivalent of a full year's income for an average citizen. Only then did the swarm slow to a manageable flow.

Yet even at such a steep price, the tickets sold out almost instantly.

That alone was enough to prove one thing: this world was utterly starved for entertainment.

People had money, but nothing meaningful to spend it on. And since many of the southern territory nobles still looked down on movies as a form of art, the ones buying these pricey tickets were either massive merchants, mining tycoons, or those with more money than sense.

Baniel, who once thought of cinema as just a business opportunity, now found himself struggling to suppress a wild sense of awe. It was obvious that the film industry was on the brink of a golden age, and the man at the center of it all, Edward Durin, had become nothing short of a deity in Baniel's eyes.

If action figures existed in this world, he wouldn't bother collecting characters from the movies. No, his first and only collectible would be an Edward figurine, which he would place reverently by his bed and worship three times a day.

The once-proud Nosrick Grand Theater was unrecognizable.

Gone was the traditional stage. The old murals and vintage decorations at the entrance had been completely stripped away. If Baniel's conservative father were still alive, he probably would've had a heart attack on the spot.

And since the man was already dead, Baniel's only concern now was whether his father might be angry enough to climb out of his coffin as an undead due to rage.

As for the commoners?

Sure, they couldn't afford the premiere prices. But no one was really upset about it. They all knew the regular screenings would follow soon enough—and the price would drop accordingly. A bit of patience was all it took to enjoy the same grand experience as the rich. That alone was enough to keep the public content.

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Nosrick Cinema – Premiere Day.

Every person involved in the production of Goblin Slayer had gathered in the grand cinema.

Even a handful of adventurers from the far North—curious about the film—had arrived, crossing thousands of miles via teleportation just to attend.

Standing before the crowd, Edward scanned the unfamiliar yet eager faces of the northern adventurers, all of whom had yet to see a movie in their lives.

Then, without turning back, he addressed Baniel—who was visibly nervous as he fidgeted at his side.

"So, what's the verdict?" Edward asked coolly.

"Do you think we can expand the Nosrick Cinema franchise to the North? I gave you this responsibility because I trusted you. Otherwise… I would've left it to Guild Master Eliza."

"Of course! While you have been busy filming your new movie, I haven't been slacking off either," Baniel declared, puffing out his chest with pride. "Nosrick Cinema has already conquered half the southern territory! Even cities without proper theaters now have outdoor screenings. So please, let me take charge of cinema construction in the North too! I'll make sure your films, Director Durin, are screened across the entire Empire!"

Seeing how Baniel had gotten himself all worked up again, Edward simply nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then turned his attention toward the film's main cast standing nearby.

The actor playing Goblin Slayer, Saeki, was clearly on edge—but not alone in that. The half-elf girl, the lizardman, and the dwarf actors were all present as well, each of them visibly tense. None of them had experienced this kind of premiere before, and now, with their debut looming on the big screen, the only thing they could do was take deep breaths and try not to panic before the inevitable post-screening appearance on stage.

Compared to them, Daphne, who had already seen a film before and at least had some idea of what to expect, was doing marginally better.

Well, "better" in a relative sense—she was currently curled up in one of her guards' arms, trembling like a scared kitten. Judging by her current state, she probably wouldn't be crawling out of hiding until the premiere was over.

"You lot…" Edward sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "The premiere's starting soon. When the show ends, you'll all be going onstage for a curtain call, so pull yourselves together."

Back when they premiered KonoSuba, there had been no such curtain call—the whole thing had been rushed, with only the adventurers' guild members attending. This time, things were different. It was a formal event with an actual audience. And most of those in the Empire were used to plays ending with the cast taking a bow, so naturally, Edward had decided to incorporate that tradition. Besides, he knew full well that the audience would be dying to see the people behind the characters.

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News of the premiere exploded across the city like a thunderclap.

By the time General Wilhelm arrived in Nosrick, accompanied by Knight Commander Wycliffe and Rhine, the entire city was already abuzz with talk about the new movie. Rumors spread like wildfire, and some folks were so desperate to catch a glimpse of it that they were ready to sneak into the cinema just to see what all the fuss was about.

For someone like Rhine, the excitement was plain as day. He practically bounced with every step, eyes sparkling as he tried to take in everything around him.

Wycliffe, on the other hand, was decidedly unimpressed.

"Ridiculous," he snorted. "Movies? Just silly make-believe for soft types. Real men don't waste their time on fantasy nonsense—we'd rather be on the battlefield, cutting down real threats. Goblins, beasts, demons—doesn't matter what. You think watching one on a screen is the same as fighting it with your own hands?"

General Wilhelm let out a quiet chuckle. "Now that sounds like you. If it weren't for your monster purge campaign years ago, we'd still be overrun by them. You've already done more than enough. Maybe it's time you allowed yourself to rest. Let go of the past, Wycliffe. That village you lost… it's been years."

"Let go?" Wycliffe turned to him, eyes hard. "Never. As long as I draw breath, I'll never forgive those monsters. I'll fight to my last drop of blood to wipe them from this world. So no, General, don't ask me to sit through a childish film. I'm heading back to the front."

Wilhelm glanced at him quietly and realized there was no convincing him otherwise. With a sigh, he gave up trying, and led the two of them toward Nosrick Cinema.

At the entrance, Rhine was the first to react upon seeing the large promotional poster hanging above the doors.

"Goblin Slayer? So that's the new movie everyone's been whispering about in the streets?" He leaned closer, his eyes wide with curiosity. "The name's kind of intense… I thought the movies were supposed to be lighthearted? At least, that's what the flyer I picked up earlier made it seem like…"