I'm Not A Master, I'm A Director
Chapter 469: Mozart: Sanson Handles the Killing, I Handle the Requiem
For Shinji, digging plot holes (foreshadowing) and throwing in memes had become part of his filmmaking DNA.
Just now, after Sanson slashed Mozart, Shinji casually made a Teio joke and planted another "Sasaki-sensei" flag.
Veteran Fate fans all knew one thing: if an important character mentioned a certain Heroic Spirit by name, chances were that Servant would be implemented before long.
Among Fate fans, this tradition was known as "launching a satellite"—dropping hints for future characters—and people had even compiled an ever-growing "Moon Satellite Map."
By the time Hundred Years' War of Evil Dragons hit theaters, Salieri's "satellite" would probably become just another star in that sky full of satellites.
Of course, compared to Type-Moon in Shinji's original world, he was actually rather restrained.
Every satellite he launched was guaranteed to pay off eventually.
The only problem was that Shinji's definition of "eventually" was very different from the fans'.
Take Salieri, for example. Thanks to his future knowledge, from Shinji's perspective, the Servant who debuted in Chapter 2.1 was already an old character.
But for the fans of this world, who had only just arrived at the French Singularity, Chapter 2.1 lay far, far in the future.
Still, at least they had something to look forward to.
Unlike Shinji, who knew he'd never live long enough to see Nasu fill in every single plot hole he had planted.
"Type-Moon's crimes are unforgivable—it must be executed! Go, Sanson! Kill Chaldea for me!"
Smack
Archer knocked Shinji on the head.
"As the director, stop spouting nonsense and distracting the actors."
"Tch..."
Shinji clicked his tongue in resignation.
In truth, Archer had nothing to worry about. The actors were far enough away that they couldn't hear a word of the director's rambling and remained completely immersed in their performance.
"Are you alright? Mash Kyrielight has arrived to support you!"
After blocking Sanson's executioner's blade, Mash immediately checked on Mozart.
"Mash? Why are you here?"
Her appearance had been the last thing Mozart expected.
"To make a choice! That's what you taught me, great musician! And because of that—"
As she spoke, Mash drove her strength into her shield.
"I believe what I'm doing now is the right choice!"
She kicked the back of her shield, channeling the impact through it and sending Sanson flying.
"Please, go rest! Leave the rest to me!"
Mash wasn't a Servant known for overwhelming offense, but she was still a close-combat fighter. Compared to Mozart, a frail musician with barely any combat ability, the difference was like heaven and earth.
Within just a few exchanges, she had the monstrous Sanson steadily on the defensive.
Even Mozart couldn't help but marvel.
"You're amazing... No, perhaps I'm simply too weak. But..."
Watching Sanson dart frantically across the battlefield, Mozart let out a quiet sigh.
"His Spirit Origin has already been shattered beyond repair."
Even without witnessing everything firsthand, Mozart could imagine the inhuman torment Sanson had suffered.
"It seems I'll have to put in a little more effort."
Considering they belonged to the same fan club, Mozart felt he should at least send Sanson off properly—or, at the very least, soothe his corrupted soul.
"Mash... I think I'd better handle this myself."
Mash froze.
"What? In your condition?"
It wasn't that she looked down on Mozart, but in his current injured state, even her Senpai could probably beat ten of him.
"Haha..."
Being called weak by Mash made Mozart laugh cheerfully.
"Don't worry. I was mistaken before. He and I don't need to fight at all."
"One who prays for the end... need only grant that end."
A grand piano materialized before him, and Mozart calmly took his seat.
Still fending off Sanson, Mash glanced back.
"What are you planning to do?"
"My life wasn't a perfect one, but I have no regrets. After all, I chose the path of a musician myself."
Opening the piano lid, Mozart spoke softly.
"So, no matter the occasion, staking my dignity upon it, I must present this... to my audience."
His pale fingers settled upon the black and white keys.
"...This music."
Requiem.
A branch of the Mass, the Requiem is the special Roman Catholic liturgy offered for the repose of the dead.
Countless composers have written their own Requiems, but among them all, none is more famous than Mozart's.
In truth, Mozart himself never finished the Requiem. He passed away when the composition was only halfway complete.
It was ultimately his student, Franz Xaver Süssmayr, who completed the work according to Mozart's instructions on his deathbed.
Shinji had actually considered summoning the real Mozart and letting him personally finish the piece.
But in the end, tempting as the idea was, he abandoned it.
After all, the world had long since grown accustomed to the collaborative version of the Requiem. Even if Mozart himself were to complete it, there would undoubtedly be plenty of people claiming that Shinji had presumptuously tacked on an unnecessary ending.
It had nothing to do with whether the music itself was good or bad—it was about the authority of certain established interpretations.
So in the end, Shinji chose to let the real Mozart continue resting in the Throne of Heroes and had Yan Qing handle all of his scenes instead.
This time, while playing the piano, Yan Qing didn't pull any tricks.
Shinji might not understand music, but before filming he had deliberately listened to several different performances of the Requiem by various musicians.
Forget playing something like The Eighteen Touches—even if Yan Qing substituted another technically difficult piece, Shinji would immediately notice something was off.
The moment his fingers touched the keys, Yan Qing actually had the urge to play "Two Tigers" instead.
But in the end, Yan Qing restrained himself.
It wasn't often that Sakura was in such excellent acting form. If he made her laugh and ruined her momentum, the guilt would be all on him.
If it had only been Shinji around, Yan Qing wouldn't have minded venting a little frustration to protest the exploitation he was suffering under.
But with everyone else present, he decided to let it go.
In reality, a complete performance of the Requiem requires an orchestra, numerous instruments, and a choir.
But the Mozart in the film was a Servant.
One person alone was an entire orchestra.
As the serene and harmonious melody drifted across the battlefield, Sanson, who had been consumed by frenzy, gradually calmed down.
"It's only music... There's no magical energy reaction at all, yet his Spirit Origin has been affected!"
Watching Sanson come to a halt, Mash could hardly believe her eyes.
Clang!
The heavy executioner's blade fell to the ground.
Sanson slowly shed his draconic form and returned to being human.
"So... I've finally realized it..."
Having regained his reason, Sanson sighed.
"It was only when I crossed blades with all of you that I realized just how deeply twisted the sins I carried truly were..."
Two streams of tears rolled down his cheeks as he confessed his crimes.
"I should have met my end back then... Instead, I became this pathetic creature... And to think it was your Requiem that finally set me free..."
"I've always hated your Requiem..."
Mozart offered no verbal response.
He simply watched in silence as the executioner's body slowly dissolved into particles of light.
"An executioner ought to revere death... Yet your music turned death into entertainment... It's utterly disgraceful..."
Half of Sanson's face had already crumbled into light. He knew he only had time for one last sentence.
"Though I truly hate to admit it... I'm sincerely grateful... that it was you who brought my end."
Wearing a smile that carried both repentance and relief, Sanson vanished into the breeze sweeping across the grassy plain.
"Spirit Origin has disappeared. Confirmation: termination complete."
With a trace of sadness, Mash recorded Sanson's passing.
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"Cut! That's a wrap for this scene!"
Shinji nodded in satisfaction.
Unlike the previous scenes, which often required several retakes, Mash had been in excellent form throughout these takes, delivering a genuinely impressive performance.
She still wasn't quite at the level of nailing everything in a single take, but she also never needed more than five attempts.
That alone put Shinji in a much better mood.
'Looks like the catfish effect really does work.'
With that thought in mind, Shinji announced,
"Next up, we're filming the scene where Lancelot tears through the crowd like an unstoppable force, and the wounded Mozart arrives at the battlefield by grabbing onto Elizabeth's leg to save the day!"
"Hey! Don't make me sound like some kind of pervert!"
Ignoring Yan Qing's protest, Shinji turned to Archer.
"The extras are all in place, right?"
Archer nodded.
"They're all waiting at the set on the other side of the hill."
Since the final battle involved far too many plot points and individual scenes, Shinji had no choice but to film them separately.
This method meant the shooting schedule would be completely out of order compared to the script, with scenes filmed in a scattered sequence.
However, it also saved the crew a great deal of time. While one scene was being shot, the next location could already be prepared, greatly improving filming efficiency.
While Shinji was fully focused on shooting Hundred Years' War of Evil Dragons, Disney, on the other side of the Pacific, officially began production on Armageddon.
Just as Cloris had told Shinji beforehand, the actress who ultimately won the female lead was Semiramis.
The Gorgon sisters, especially Medusa, had been mercilessly passed over.
The eldest sister was extremely unhappy with the result and even demanded a showdown with the Empress who had "stolen" her leading role, determined to prove that she was the real beauty.
It took the staff an enormous amount of effort to hold her back.
"It's not about your face," one staff member explained. "Your figure is just... slightly inferior to Semiramis's."
Instead of calming her down, those words caused the eldest sister to explode on the spot.
Rumor had it that countless male Disney staff members were later found lying on the ground, drooling with blissful smiles on their faces. The incident eventually became one of Disney's most famous workplace ghost stories.
In the end, it was the Rider whom Shinji had sent over—Medusa herself—who finally resolved the situation.
As the saying goes, good older siblings each have their own unique strengths, but when it comes to tormenting their younger sibling, they're all exactly the same.
To vent her frustration, Stheno dragged Medusa all over North America—for a "vacation."
Medusa never commented on the trip afterward, nor did she share a single impression of it.
But one incident spoke volumes about how she felt.
When Rider finally returned to Japan, despite being utterly exhausted in both body and mind—practically carrying dozens of fatigue debuffs—she still mounted Pegasus and chased Shinji through several city blocks.