Creating Anime In A Fantasy World

“Has Dean Hohenheim sorted out that patent system for me?”

After discussing Fate/Zero, Edward casually asked this question before moving on to the next topic with Ska.

Still engrossed in the story of Fate/Zero, Ska paused for a moment before responding, “Patent? Yes, the Mage Tower held a meeting specifically for that issue. I was there.”

“Oh? How did it go?”

“At first, everything seemed fine. Most of the mages were supportive, thinking this would add value to their inventions. But when they found out the Magic Video Recorder and Imaging Crystal you invented were the first to be included under patent protection, some protested. Those were likely the ones who tried to crack your tech after the last meeting.”

“Heh, let them try. If anyone can crack it, I’ll admit defeat! These mages, who haven’t even scratched the surface of alchemy, have no idea of its intricacies.”

Indeed, for mages with no foundational knowledge of Alchemy, the principles behind the Magic Video Recorder and Imaging Crystal were a bottomless pit. Unless Edward revealed the blueprints and the formula for how magic energy values convert information, the chances of this tech being leaked were virtually zero. Once the patent system was established, he wouldn’t need to worry about that at all.

Seeing Edward’s confident attitude, Ska smiled and said, “That’s exactly what the dean said. Even though some mages still showed resistance, most agreed to pay a reasonable patent fee to access your technology. So, in the end, the minority was overruled, and the proposal passed. Before long, the dean will probably come to you to finalize the patent details, and you’ll have a line of patent applications stretching all the way out of the Mage Tower.”

“Not bad. Since the first step’s a success, the rest should be smooth sailing. What’s wrong, Ska? Jealous? If you’re envious, invent something too. Get it patented! With the money you make, we could build our Alchemy Tower taller. At least taller than the Mage Tower next door, hahaha!”

Hearing Edward’s usual lofty ambitions, Ska couldn’t help but laugh.

A few years ago, he might have thought Edward was just daydreaming, but now, he could genuinely see the possibility of it becoming a reality.

“Alright, enough joking. What about the royal birthday gift we discussed earlier? Do you have any ideas yet? There’s less than a month left.”

Hearing this, Ska pointed to his alchemy table and said, “Edward, do you remember a long time ago you mentioned this idea: ‘If teleportation arrays can transport individuals over long distances, why not transport smaller things, like a voice, a picture, or even a video?’”

“Uh, did I say that?”

Clearly, Ska was referring to a conversation with the old Edward. Although Edward vaguely remembered it, it had been so long that he didn’t have a clear impression.

Ska continued, “I’ve been working on that idea for a while, but I couldn’t make much progress because I couldn’t figure out a medium for transmitting the information. Whether it’s voice or images, they’re hard to convert into magical signals. But now, thanks to your invention of the Magic Video Recorder, I’ve had a breakthrough!”

“??”

Seeing Edward’s confusion, Ska took out the Magic Video Recorder Edward had given him earlier and said, “This device you invented, which can record both video and audio, is essentially a tool that converts information into specific magical values. After I adjusted the internal magic frequencies slightly…”

Ska poured magic into the modified recording device, pointing it at Edward’s face. Suddenly, a machine that looked similar to the Magic Video Recorder, located further away, lit up.

Moments later, a set of images appeared, and just like that—at a distance of over ten meters—Edward’s face was projected out of thin air!

“Ah…”

Even Edward hadn’t expected Ska to create something like this. Startled, he took a step back, and the projected image of Edward also stepped back at the same time!

Seeing this demonstration, Edward couldn’t help but blurt out, “This… this is a live broadcast!!!”

“Live broadcast?” Ska looked puzzled.

“Uh, I got excited. How did you make this thing?”

Although Edward had previously thought about creating a magical version of television to air his shows, the issues of magical energy sources and the lack of a way to transmit images over long distances had stymied his efforts. After all, this world was governed by magic, and magical factors hindered the normal development of many technologies he was familiar with.

So, after giving up on the idea, Edward hadn’t expected to be pleasantly surprised by Ska’s creation.

Pleased with his accomplishment, Ska scratched his head and explained, “I got the idea after watching your movie. Then, I consulted a grand mage at the Mage Tower who specializes in teleportation arrays, and we came up with this prototype just before you arrived.”

“A grand mage? And they were willing to talk to you?”

“Of course not at first, but as soon as I mentioned your name, they immediately welcomed me in.”

“…”

Surprised that his reputation had opened doors for Ska, Edward showed a complicated expression before asking seriously, “How far can this thing transmit? How much magic does it need to operate? If I wanted to broadcast a signal—an image—across the entire empire, is that even possible?”

Yes, even though he’d only just seen the prototype of his long-dreamt magical television, Edward couldn’t contain his excitement.

But Ska, with a helpless smile, waved him off, saying, “I don’t know yet. I already told you this is just a prototype. We haven’t done any calculations or experiments. But with more time, I think I can make it fully functional.”

Realizing he’d been too hasty, Edward took a moment to calm down. He then began contemplating the practical uses of this image-transmitting device and finally said, “So, this is what you’re planning to present as the Emperor’s birthday gift? I admit, if this thing can be made practical, it would have unique military applications. Given the Emperor has been thinking about taking action against the Orc Kingdom, this would be an excellent gift.”

Communication and transportation had always been two key elements of modern warfare. Although this world still seemed to be in the era of cold weapons, its wars were no less destructive than those in Edward’s previous world. In this context, a communications tool capable of transmitting video and audio over long distances would be of immense value to the empire’s military.

Hearing Edward’s analysis, Ska, who hadn’t thought about the military applications, paused for a moment before saying, “I never considered that. I was just thinking the king must get bored sitting in the castle all day, so I wanted to invent something that would let him see all the landscapes of the empire without leaving his throne…”

“Uh, that’s a good idea too… wait, why not both? This could be a golden opportunity to promote our Alchemy!”

At that moment, a flood of inspiration struck Edward, and he stood up, laughing, “Ska, let’s spend the next few days testing the coverage of this device. If it meets my requirements, then the world’s first live documentary might be born!!”