Don't Call Me Master, Call Me Director

"Of course, this is my little sister's big brother's first movie."

Shinji, seemingly not noticing Sakura's troubled expression, smiled and tapped his sister's forehead with his finger.

"Are you ready to welcome a new era of cinema, Miss Matou Sakura?"

Chapter 13: Mage Banquet (×) Blind Date Convention (√)

For the vast majority of the film crew, the end of filming meant a comfortable long holiday.

Even the students among them would at least have a chance to study for their final exams with peace of mind, creating opportunities for a happy winter break.

But such good fortune was not for Shinji. After resting at home for just two days, he traveled to Tokyo alone to begin the post-production of FSN.

It wasn't that Shinji didn't want to work in Fuyuki City; it was just that Fuyuki City had no relevant film post-production studios. Shinji had no choice but to go to Japan's current film center—Tokyo—for post-production.

The post-production itself proceeded relatively smoothly. Shinji's uncle, Matou Kariya, worked as a tokusatsu actor in Tokyo. Through his connections, Shinji rented Tsuburaya's post-production studio.

As a veteran film company, Tsuburaya's studio equipment was sufficient to meet Shinji's needs. Master Shinji also hired an experienced editor from Tsuburaya to help him with the tedious film editing work.

Only one thing made Master Shinji's head ache. His seven Servants, summoned by the Holy Grail, were bound by the ley lines and could not leave Fuyuki City, forcing Shinji to return to Fuyuki City for the film's post-dubbing.

This meant Shinji had to shuttle back and forth between Fuyuki City and Tokyo during this period.

"I've decided, once FSN makes money, I'm going to establish a complete film post-production studio in Fuyuki City!"

At the Matou residence, Shinji, having just returned from Tokyo again, complained as he slumped onto the table.

"Oh~~ is that so?"

Matou Zouken, sitting opposite Shinji, replied lazily, seemingly not having heard what Shinji said clearly.

"Grandpa~~"

Shinji's mouth twitched wildly, his right hand clenching and unclenching several times.

If he wasn't afraid of shattering the "Master Yoda" into a thousand pieces with one punch, Shinji would have already acted.

There was no other reason; Matou Zouken was simply too punchable at the moment.

The old man was lounging in a plush sofa that could swallow him whole, legs crossed. In one hand, he held a golden goblet filled with fine wine (likely pilfered from the Gleaming King's Treasure), and in the other, he toyed with a cricket he had just procured at a high price from China.

To the old man's right stood Little Yi Ge, holding a fruit platter and bowing respectfully. To his left, Heracles slowly fanned him with a palm-leaf fan, a dopey look on his face.

"Grandpa, are you some kind of local rich landlord?!"

Shinji slammed the table and shouted at Matou Zouken.

Matou Zouken lazily scratched his left knee with his right foot and said nonchalantly, "Ah~~ I am a local rich landlord."

"You make a very good point, and I can't refute it... Wait, why are you fanning yourself in the middle of winter!"

"Because the air conditioning is on."

Matou Zouken took a sip of wine and replied calmly.

"Then why don't you turn off the air conditioning? Do you know how much the electricity bill will be?"

Japan's electricity prices, like its fruits, were outrageously expensive, especially during the summer and winter seasons. If one wasn't careful, the electricity bill could easily start at 100,000 yen.

Although the Matou Family wasn't short on money, such waste was unacceptable.

"You're stupid, Shinji." Matou Zouken shot his grandson a glance and showed off the cricket in his palm, "If I turn off the air conditioning, won't my little darling freeze to death?"

"..."

It seemed that no matter the world, Matou Zouken's love for insects remained unchanged.

Shinji didn't know whether to be happy or not. At least his grandfather was playing with a cricket, not an Engraved Insect, right?

"Brother, don't pay attention to Grandpa." Sakura handed Shinji tea while complaining, "Ever since he bought this bug, he hasn't stopped acting strangely."

Matou Zouken said aggrievedly, "Sakura, you're being too harsh on your grandfather. This old man only has this one hobby."

Sakura glared at him displeasedly and said coldly, "Grandpa! If you keep acting so crazy, I'll deep-fry this bug!"

"No, Sakura, you can't be so cruel. Shinji, my good grandson, quickly persuade your sister."

Saying that, Zouken turned his head to Shinji.

Shinji pretended not to see, lowering his head to drink tea.

It was a joke; he, Master Shinji, had encountered this situation before. If he spoke up to help his grandfather now, then fried crickets would appear on his dinner plate later.

"Sakura, this tea tastes great. Your tea-making skills are getting better and better."

Shinji ignored Matou Zouken's gaze and praised him with a smile.

Receiving her brother's praise, Sakura showed a slightly shy and satisfied expression.

"Brother, how is your work going lately?"

"It's alright." Shinji sighed slightly, "I just argue with Mr. Ohara every few days."

Ohara was the editor from Tsuburaya, and Shinji argued with him because their concepts for editing the film were drastically different.

In the old editor's eyes, many of Shinji's editing ideas were simply chaotic, while Shinji felt that Ohara Kenji was too conservative and couldn't grasp the essence of the commercial films he envisioned.

It was important to note that Shinji's proposed editing plan for commercial films was not random but based on very clear theoretical grounds.

In his previous life, Hollywood film studios, in order to recoup their multi-billion dollar investments, conducted extensive research.

Through massive data analysis and psychological studies, they even created a perfect commercial film editing framework timeline.

This timeline was incredibly detailed, even specifying the exact start and end times for each action scene, the precise moments for the development of the protagonists' relationship and conflicts, when they should kiss, and so on.

By the time Shinji transmigrated, this timeline was no longer very effective. Most commercial films no longer adhered to it.

Audiences had grown tired of the same "template plays" after seeing too many movies with identical structures.

But in this TYPE-MOON world, for novice viewers who hadn't even seen Star Wars, this framework was a stroke of genius.

It was like Shinji solving math problems with calculus while everyone else was still using basic arithmetic.

Shinji believed his film would be no less than an atomic bomb to the stagnant film industry.

Unfortunately, the editor named Ohara didn't understand Shinji's editing style. To him, Shinji's unconventional editing was just reckless youthful experimentation.

Fortunately, in this world, with art films dominating, the Director held far more authority than anyone else in film production. No matter how insistent the editor was, he couldn't go against Shinji.

Shinji wasn't too concerned about the editor's attitude. It was a simple employer-employee relationship; as long as the editor could cut the footage into a movie, that was enough.

"That's enough, Grandpa. Just throw this bug away!"

"No, my dear granddaughter, this is the only request I've ever had in my life."

"This is already your 417th 'only request in my life'!"

Matou Zouken and Sakura's argument interrupted Shinji's thoughts.

Seeing the risk of this grandparent-grandchild squabble affecting him, Shinji quickly downed the rest of the tea in his cup and instinctively made his escape.

"Good grandson!"

Just as Shinji reached the staircase, Matou Zouken called out to him.

"Grandpa, I won't go against Sakura. You should just give in to her."

"This has nothing to do with that," Matou Zouken said with a smile. "There's a Japanese Mage Gathering in Tokyo tomorrow night. You'll come with me."

"A gathering?"

Hearing his grandfather's words, Shinji's brow furrowed slightly.

Despite his strong reluctance, Shinji accompanied Matou Zouken to Kyoto the next day to attend the gathering.

This was the annual year-end gathering for Japan's native Mage families, held in Kyoto and hosted in rotation by several prominent Mage families there.

When Shinji arrived at the venue with his grandfather, the vast banquet hall was filled with many well-known figures in the Japanese Mage world.

Shinji recalled for a moment and realized that many of these people were also prominent figures in ordinary society.

Led by a waiter, Shinji, holding a wine glass, walked into the banquet hall with his grandfather.

Frankly, Shinji didn't have much affection for Japan's native Mage families and Mages.

Perhaps influenced by Japan's conservative culture, the already insular Mage atmosphere was even more pronounced here.

If European Mages could be described as conservative, then Japanese Mages were like stubborn stones.

Therefore, practical Mages like Shinji were seen as "unfilial children who defied their ancestors" by these people. Shinji also found their outdated views repulsive, creating a mutual dislike.

"So, Grandpa, why did you bring me here?"

In the banquet hall of a luxurious hotel in Kyoto, Shinji asked Matou Zouken beside him with clear displeasure.

"My good grandson, don't say that~" Matou Zouken chuckled. "Perhaps there will be a family who understands you."

"How could there be?" Shinji scoffed dismissively. "If there were, would I have had to recruit people from the Clock Tower back then?"

Shinji's attitude towards these people truly echoed Chancellor Cao's famous line: "Insignificant boy, not worth discussing matters with!"

"Don't say that," Matou Zouken looked up at Shinji. "According to your future plans, you'll definitely need to summon more Heroic Spirits, right? Perhaps a family will agree to rent you their ley lines?"

"How could that be possible?"

Although Shinji said so, his body betrayed him as he followed along, visiting various Mages introduced by Matou Zouken.

With the current ley line mana in Fuyuki City, summoning seven Servants was already the limit. To summon new Servants, the best method was to connect other ley lines to Fuyuki City's ley line, expanding its mana reserves.

And the best ley lines in all of Japan were controlled by the Mages present in the banquet hall.

Therefore, Shinji felt his grandfather had a point; at least meeting these people wouldn't hurt.

However, as time passed, Shinji realized something was amiss.

Among the Mages Matou Zouken introduced, at least nine out of ten would mention their own daughters, either intentionally or unintentionally, and would even thoughtfully introduce their daughters' merits and praise their excellent potential to Shinji.

"Grandpa."

After concluding another conversation with the elder of a traditional Mage family, Shinji tugged on his grandfather's sleeve.

"This has nothing to do with ley lines, does it? Did you just throw me into a matchmaking service?"

Shinji questioned with a darkened expression.

Matou Zouken chuckled: "What's the difference? Those girls are all quite good, anyway."

"Hey!"

Matou Zouken paid no mind to his grandson's complaints, tapping his cane.

"My dear grandson, you must understand that your aptitude as a Mage is the finest of this generation in all of Japan. It would be strange if these families weren't interested in you."

As he spoke, Matou Zouken glanced sideways at his grandson.

"Shinji, weren't you having a grand time at the Clock Tower? Why are you acting so proper now that you're back in Japan?"

"That's a completely different matter," Shinji replied irritably. "Besides, aren't these old men completely uninterested in my plans and ideals? Why do they suddenly want to find me as a son-in-law now?"

Matou Zouken chuckled. "It doesn't matter what you want to do. As long as you can use your ancestral ?? to get their family's women pregnant."

His grandfather's words made Matou Shinji feel a bit uncomfortable.

Even though Master Shinji himself had conquered countless women at the Clock Tower, it was out of his appreciation and admiration for beautiful girls.

If they weren't soulmates, they were at least in a passionate, harmonious union during heat.

But these people…

"Calling them inflatable dolls is giving them too much credit. What's the difference between this and breeding livestock?" Shinji grumbled quietly.

"That's just what Mages are,"

Matou Zouken nodded in agreement, then suddenly gave a sinister grin. "It's a good thing, too. If they refuse to lend you their Spirit Veins in the future, you can just trade your genetic material for it."

"Grandpa…"

Shinji was about to say something more when two people suddenly appeared before the grandfather and grandson.

The other pair was also a grandfather and grandchild, though the elder on the other side was accompanied by a young, red-haired woman, not a grandson.

Shinji recognized them. The elder was the head of the renowned Japanese Mage family, the Aozaki Family, and the woman he brought with him was Aozaki Aoko, one of the "Four Heroines of Tsukihime."