In the quiet venue, the reporters were waiting for the most unreliable director of the century (hereinafter referred to as "Mr. Unreliable") to attend this new drama's press conference.
“Ah, here he comes!”
“Mr. Unreliable is here!”
The flashlights flared up.
Mr. Unreliable stepped into the venue under the flashing lights and took a seat in front of the microphone. Behind him were the three main actors of the drama—a tall man with black hair and purple eyes, a lively young girl, and a blonde man with green eyes (who appeared to be older than the man with black hair). Once the three of them had taken their seats beside the director, the very ordinary press conference began in a very ordinary way.
Reporter A: “Mr. Unreliable, what kind of work are you planning to bring us this time?”
Mr. Unreliable cleared his throat. “Originally, I wanted to make a story about a hunter who catches a druid as a pet, leading to a shameless cohabitation, wielding a starlight dragon in one hand and invincibility in the other, and roaming across Azeroth. But since the rights to the Warcraft movie have already been taken, we just found a random screenwriter, came up with a random story set in a fictional continent, and casually shot it on a phone. I’ve heard that audiences these days get excited just from the CGI in the trailers, so there’s no need to take the plot too seriously. If all else fails, we’ll just have the female lead wear less.”
The blond male lead couldn’t help but nudge the director with his elbow, smiling, “Mr. Unreliable, you can mess around, but you can’t just say whatever you want.”
The director nodded and said, “Yes, yes, those words just now were from the screenwriter, passed on through me to all of you. They represent his personal views only, and any legal consequences have nothing to do with the production team.”
Reporter B: “We’ve heard that the screenwriter this time is a newcomer. Could you tell us who he is?”
Director: “Yes, that’s right. He’s a newcomer. His last name is Random, but I sometimes call him ‘Whatever’ because he just has that casual vibe, which fits our style perfectly. Oh, you’re asking how we met? We got to know each other as kids, stealing corn from a field. You’ll get to know him soon enough. When you send the hate mail later, please make sure to address it to him, thanks.”
Reporter C: “We’ve heard that this ‘Verse of Fate’ series is going to be a lengthy epic, with a vast map and numerous factions. How many expansions are you planning to release?”
Director: “Probably around nine expansions? The script for Volume One has already been revised. It’s great for aiding digestion during meals and helps with sleep before bed—something you won’t get from other similar products!”
Reporter D: “Does the title of the series have any special meaning, particularly ‘Angowalos’?”
Director: “That’s the name of the continent in the series. It’s a non-human world inhabited by werewolves, beastkin, and elves. The werewolves have a more like Japanese-inspired style, while the beastkin have a steampunk aesthetic, complete with cute and cool animal ears—not the green or brown skins you see in World of Warcraft, just so we’re clear. The elves aren’t too different from the standard fantasy elves, at least in appearance. Let me introduce the man with the black hair beside me—he’s one of the lead actors in the series. He hails from the werewolf kingdom, Togekaze.”
The crowd began murmuring among themselves.
“Him? He looks almost human.”
“I agree. So what exactly is the key point of the werewolf setting?”
“By the way, what’s with this Japanese-inspired werewolf thing? Like, the anime style?”
“I get it now. I’ve got some of that on my hard drive.”
Hearing the whispers from the crowd, the black-haired lead actor started to feel uncomfortable. He asked coldly, “Director, can I leave now?”
The young female lead quietly commanded, “Sit tight and keep quiet. We’ve got enough trouble with Mr. Unreliable running his mouth. Behave yourself.”
The black-haired lead could only sit there, stewing in frustration.
Director: “As for the Japanese-inspired werewolf setting, due to the sheer amount of information and potential spoilers, we won’t be addressing it here. The werewolf area won’t be fully unlocked until the second volume’s expansion. For now, just enjoy what the black-haired lead has to offer. Thank you.
Also, just to let you know, the beastkin area will be unlocked in Volume Three, so please be patient. If you’re feeling impatient, you’re more than welcome to try and rush us. I’ll post Random's address in the comments section later, so be sure to save it if you need it. If you happen to find Random, I personally recommend two skills: press 1 to use ‘Smack You in the Face,’ press 2 to use ‘Take You Down,’ and hold ctrl+alt+del to shut down.”
Reporter A: “...So when will the werewolf expansion be released?”
Reporter B: “I heard there are a lot of handsome guys. Is it the kind of content that’s a treat for female players?”
Reporter C: “Is it true there’s 18+ NTR content?”
Director: “We’re working on it, we’re drawing it—wait, what’s NTR?? No, no, this isn’t White Album. Please maintain order and don’t believe in rumors. Spreading rumors can land you in jail, you know. Also, please try to ask questions related to Volume One.”
Reporter D: “Why hasn’t Random, the screenwriter, attended this press conference?”
Director: “He’s currently discussing the plot with the third male lead, preparing to revise the outline for Volume Two. Yesterday, when I asked them about their progress, they were torn between whether to strip or not, and whether to go for bromance or not. It’s... a really tough decision. After all, fujoshi players really do spend a lot.”
Reporter A: “Could you briefly introduce the main characters of this series?”
Director: “Sure. In the Verse of Fate series, we’re planning to have a total of eight main characters—four male and four female. For Volume One, only three of them will appear, which are the three beside me. Come on, everyone, give a New Year’s greeting—no, wait, I mean, introduce yourselves. Let’s start with Nicole.”
Female Lead: “Hello, everyone! My name is Nicole, and I’m one of the leads in Volume One. I’m thrilled to meet you all. In the series, I play a human who dreams of becoming an excellent beast tamer.”
Black-Haired Male Lead: “Hi. My name is Akane Shinya, and I’m a werewolf shapeshifter. You’re wondering what a shapeshifter is? Just think of it as a druid. Why use such a strange name? Well, that’s because Random likes to show off.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Blond Male Lead: “Hello! My name is Rivern, and I’m a human priest.”
Reporter B: “Could you briefly describe the relationships between the characters?”
Nicole smiled shyly, pointing at Shinya, “Past life boyfriend?” Then pointing at Rivern, “Current adoptive brother?”
Reporter D: “So, is this a love triangle drama?”
Director: “No, no, no, we’re not making that kind of romance drama. You won’t see any of those stomach-churning scenes like ‘You’re all my wings,’ ‘Why are you so skilled at this,’ or ‘I was here first.’ Our official pairings are strictly one-on-one. If you find that’s not the case, you’re probably watching a pirated version. It’s the era of paying for legit content now. Please support the official release, thank you.”
Reporter A: “Mr. Unreliable, how would you evaluate these three main actors?”
Director: “Nicole, as the first female lead to appear in the series, is... well, pretty ordinary. You can’t expect too much from her, right? We’re not making a story where the protagonist starts by smashing the villain into the ground. The focus is on showing Nicole’s growth. She’s the only ‘normal person’ among the eight main characters, a very ‘neutral’ and ‘objective’ presence, which is crucial for balancing the story.”
Director: “Shinya—Uninterested in any female other than Nicole. He’s a canine with some feline traits, a large, wild animal that’s cold on the outside but warm on the inside, a tough-looking but secretly adorable guy. He likes cat toys and sausages and holds grudges especially well.”
Nicole whispered, “Shinya, put your fist down. You can’t punch Mr. Unreliable in public, or it’ll make the headlines.”
Shinya angrily whispered back, “I can tolerate the cat toy, but what’s with the sausage?!”
Director: “Rivern plays a role that’s both brotherly and fatherly to Nicole. As I mentioned earlier, we’re not doing a love triangle, just bromance. So, there won’t be any romantic development between the two of them. Rivern is the most complex character in the series, but to put it simply, he’s ‘blond-haired, green-eyed, kind and friendly, with a charming smile and graceful manners,’ ‘a wolf in sheep’, warm and flirtatious, a friend to women and a foe to men.’ In today’s popular terms, he’s the kind of character where ‘beneath the golden exterior lies a dark core.’”
Reporter C: “Mr. Rivern, did you encounter any difficulties in portraying such a complex character?”
Rivern^_^ , “To sum it up in one sentence: ‘Can’t live, can’t die.’”
Reporters: “?????”
Reporter D: “Could you explain what you mean by that?”
Director: “Due to the sheer amount of information and potential spoilers, we won’t be providing an explanation here. If you’re curious, feel free to give us a follow. We don’t charge our audience any fees. The tactic of ‘our fates weren’t meant to be, unless I pay up’ is strictly prohibited here.”
Reporter B: “Mr. Unreliable, could you briefly introduce the remaining five main characters who haven’t appeared yet?”
Director: “The three we’ve discussed are the main characters for Volume One. In Volume Two, which takes place in the werewolves’ territory, a highly popular new male lead will be introduced. We’ve cast a very handsome actor, aiming to provide fan service for our female players. Spending money is guaranteed to be rewarding—recharge during the event to get an exclusive five-star character.
In Volume Three, which takes place in the beastkin's territory, three more leads will appear. The first is a ‘gorgeous, mature lady,’ ‘not an aunt, but a sister,’ a human priestess who embodies both talent and beauty. The second is a male beastkin with a height of ‘1.7 meters but with a presence of 3.4 meters,’ featuring the currently popular domineering CEO archetype. Yes, we jumped on the bandwagon, but there’s no charge for following trends. The third is a beastkin girl who seems ‘Delicate, fragile, and easy to topple,’ but actually wields a ‘high-energy particle cannon.’ Yes, we have Gundam.
The final character appears in Volume Four, which takes place in the elven territory. She has the appearance of a ‘beautiful young boy,’ speaks ‘dirty jokes with a straight face,’ possesses unparalleled wisdom, but has no social awareness—an elven girl, of course.”
Reporter B: “Mr. Unreliable, could you give us an overview of the main plot?”
Director: “Due to the large amount of information and potential spoilers, we’ll just show you the opening animation instead. Hey, up on the second floor, can you start the PPT?”
-Windows 98 startup music begins playing-
··_(:з」∠)_···
Title: Angowalos: Verse of Fate
1.0 [Asate: A Reunion Disguised as a Chance Encounter] (Installation 90% complete)
“More than a decade ago, a demon and his minions razed a seemingly ordinary town to the ground, leaving mountains of corpses in their wake. Wildfires raged for three days. Now, in this eerie ruin, besides thousand graves, something else seems to be hidden... for instance—the buried truth, lost memories, and time that has been reset.”
"Speak plainly!"(／‵口′)／~╧╧
"A young girl aspires to become a beast tamer and finally gets her adorable pet. But after starting their shameless and indescribable cohabitation, she realizes... this cat doesn’t seem to be from the cat planet??"
"Then where’s it from0.0???"
"From the neighboring werewolf kingdom..."
2.0 [Togekaze: A Whirlwind of Blood and Blades] (Random says the title needs to be cool and edgy)
"My long-time frenemy, whom I've loved and fought with for decades, goes on a business trip and comes back with a girlfriend?? And now, as the queen’s loyal dog, I’m stuck teaching this girlfriend of his because of some secret mission?? Fine, I won’t get mad. What in this world can’t be solved with a little charm? If one pretty face doesn’t do it, how about two handsome guys? P.S. I was all set to star in a BL scene, half my clothes off, only for the director to tell me, ‘Sorry, this is just pure brotherly love. Please put your clothes back on.’ I was like ?????"
··_(:з」∠)_···
Director: “Stop!! Sorry, reporters, it seems we played the wrong PPT.” He turned to the staff, “Who made this PPT?? An intern?? Where’s the opening animation I spent six months editing?? What? The computer crashed? Why didn’t your brain crash too??”
Staff Member, running over, “Mr. Unreliable, we found it! Your USB fell into the ramen soup.”
··_(:з」∠)_···
Replaying·
Start·
Title: Angowalos: Verse of Fate
Volume 1” A Reunion Disguised as a Chance Encounter”
Fifteen years ago, a demon and his minions reduced an ordinary town to rubble. Piles of corpses formed mountains, and wild fires burned for three days and nights. The town transformed into a grim and desolate ruin. Amidst a thousand graves, it seemed to hide something else—a buried truth, lost memories, and a reset time.
Fifteen years later, the surviving girl has grown up once again, yet remains unaware of everything she had experienced—unbreakable bonds, forbidden love, and all the destined sacrifices and encounters.
The beast tamer who couldn't tame beasts finally encounters a beast that resonates with her heart. However, this beast seems to exist beyond any Beast Encyclopedia.
Where does it come from? And who is he? Can she remember everything once more?
If those memories are lost, can their reunion still be called a reunion?
"As long as I can stay by her side, it doesn't matter what identity I assume."
Is a forgotten vow worth sacrificing one's life for?
"She doesn't need to remember; as long as I remember, it is enough."
The End·
Director: “Uh, basically, that’s the style we’re going for. I sincerely apologize, but despite the lighthearted tone of this press conference, the main story is actually very serious—no emoticons, no memes, and no double diamonds on your first purchase. If you’d like to watch the opening animation again, please like and follow to show your support. Lastly, are there any other questions?”
Reporter A: “Mr. Unreliable, the demon that appeared in the opening—is he the last boss of the series?”
Director: “Good question. Due to the large amount of information and potential spoilers, we won’t be answering that here.”
Reporter C: “...Then, is there anything you can reveal about the last boss of the series?”
Director: “Actually, yes. We’ve decided to invite the famous voice actor, Takahiro Sakurai, to provide the voice.”
Reporters: “Got it, got it. Definitely a white-haired boss.” “White hair…” “It’s absolutely going to be a white-haired character…” “Sakurai voicing a white-haired demon villain, it’s a classic setup.”
Director: “What white hair?? Can you all stop constantly associating characters with their voice actors? Please show some respect for the voice actors! Enough with this ‘Sakurai white hair’ and ‘Kaji loses an arm’ stuff, okay?”
Reporters: “…”
Director: “Alright, this press conference is over. I can’t believe we ended up writing this much nonsense—it’s about time to wrap it up. If you have any more questions, please leave them in the comments section. Thank you. Second floor, turn off the lights!”
Reporters: “So, is it really white hair or not…?” “It’s definitely white hair! Do we even need to think about it?” “Mr. Unreliable, don’t leave! Mr. Unreliable!”