Chapter 402: You're a Genius
The topic of Yamato came to an end once Steven tucked it back into his inventory.
Nian didn't press him any further; after all, the names he had mentioned were already shocking enough.
If a weapon had been stained with the blood of both Seaborn and Collapsals… that meant the boy before her had fought—and defeated—both types of monsters.
And clearly, the one who emerged victorious every time was him.
That was ridiculous.
Even she—a fragment of Sui—would avoid provoking those indescribable creatures unless absolutely necessary.
But if staining a weapon with the blood of those two monsters could awaken a self-aware blade… Well, she wouldn't mind running a few experiments of her own.
Neither Nian nor Steven noticed one important detail, though:
When Steven listed the monsters he had slain, he conveniently forgot one. Deep in the Originium mines, that Fallingstar Beast, had also fallen to Yamato's edge.
Setting that aside, after they finished discussing all the serious matters, Nian's expression grew noticeably lighter and far more cheerful. Her violet eyes sparkled as she poked Steven's shoulder.
"Well then, I think it's time we talk about the Yan New Year film project. You agreed you'd be the investor for my movie, remember? You're not planning to weasel out of it, are you?"
The moment she brought up movie-making, her whole demeanor brightened.
Steven, hearing her finally shift to the matter that he cared about most, couldn't help but smile.
"Of course. But before that, I think I should take a look at the script. As the investor, at the very least I should check if it's acceptable, right?"
Rhodes Island was still in Kazimierz.
It would take some time before they reached Yan.
And this stretch of free time was perfect for fulfilling his dream of participating in the making of a movie.
"No problem there. We can polish the script together if needed. But before that, we should finalize the cast. Normally you'd pick actors based on the script, but, well, you know—Rhodes Island only has so many people. It's not like we have much choice to begin with."
Nian shrugged.
To her, "script" was basically optional.
The whole "dragon knight vs. alien invaders" idea was something she came up with on the spot anyway.
A script? Was that really important?
The key was that she enjoyed filming it—and everyone else enjoyed watching it.
That was more than enough.
"You've got a point. But don't worry about that. I'll put it in writing: everyone on Rhodes Island—every last Operator—if you think someone fits a role, I can get them to act in our movie. Leave that part to me."
He thumped his chest proudly.
This was his first time investing in a film, after all, so he was taking it very seriously.
As for roping people into acting—well, for someone who considered himself extremely popular around Rhodes Island, that wasn't difficult at all.
Owing a few favors wasn't a big deal anyway.
Most people on Rhodes Island were patients or Infected. As long as the miraculous doctor—him—showed up and helped ease their symptoms, who would refuse a simple acting request?
"So confident, huh? Then what if I told you I want that green-haired cat—you know who—to play the evil stepmother of the heroine? Think you can make that happen?"
Nian didn't believe Steve's bragging.
Popularity wasn't something you secured just by having strong fists.
Sometimes, if people simply didn't want to show up, forcing them was pointless.
She especially hated passionless acting.
The story could be trash, but the performance had to be given willingly—from the heart.
"Hm… I like that suggestion. Family drama is an essential part of film. But based purely on Kal'tsit's face, she looks too young to be a stepmother. How about making her a vicious supporting villain instead?"
Steven didn't even blink. He immediately started seriously discussing Kal'tsit's role with her.
Getting Kal'tsit into a movie was actually easier than getting anyone else.
He knew that woman well: she was surprisingly easy to negotiate with.
As long as the benefits were sufficient, she would never refuse.
One healing potion could take her down effortlessly.
At worst, he just had to add a bottle of milk on top.
He was sure she'd happily walk onto his movie set—might even secretly look forward to her next role.
"No, no, no. You know what audiences love most? Gap moe. Think about it: a cold, expressionless young girl, but her real identity is the flirtatious, poisonous stepmother? That's exactly the kind of contrast people live for!"
Nian clearly had her own ideas.
In her vision, Kal'tsit had to rely on contrast—it was her strongest point.
"In that case, why not push the contrast to the extreme? Picture this: Kal'tsit—someone that I'm sure is older than anyone in Rhodes Island—playing a delicate, innocent beauty. Better yet, the male lead's childhood sweetheart. Isn't that even more of a contrast?"
Steven smacked his palm with a loud clap, fully accepting her idea.
And quickly, he turned it into something even more outrageous.
"Holy crap—you're a genius. I actually love it. Let's go with that. But here's the real question: are you sure doing this won't get us eaten alive by that old cat?"
After hearing Steven's suggestion, Nian's expression lit up with stunned admiration.
As expected of her kindred spirit—his divergent thinking was absurd.
This was pure selling power!
But… there was only one problem:
Kal'tsit herself did not look like someone who would willingly accept such… eccentric casting.
"That part's not your concern—leave it to me. Anything related to finding actors is the sponsor's job. As the director, all you need to do is write me a story that'll amaze me."
Steven patted Nian on the shoulder with eager anticipation, as if entrusting the entire future of cinema to her.
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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