The filming of Dead Silence was progressing smoothly and steadily.
Edward's crew had not encountered any major problems so far. However, the next phase of filming required a change of location to shoot the upcoming scenes.
"So, next up is the appearance of the second victim. We'll need to borrow a school setting for the shoot. I remember we've already communicated with one of the schools—was it Uva Academy or Naranja Academy?" Edward glanced down at the script in his hand.
The next sequence to be shot followed the death of the first victim, Yoko. After her death, Yumi would encounter the second victim while at school and witness their tragic demise firsthand. This incident would reinforce Yumi's determination to investigate the strange occurrences surrounding her.
This plot point wasn't particularly complicated. The only real challenge was setting up the scene in a school. Though it wasn't impossible to shoot elsewhere, Edward still wanted to strive for perfection in his film.
"Yes, boss, it's all been arranged. Both Naranja Academy and Uva Academy have agreed to let us use their campuses for shooting," Deck said, handing over the official approval documents from both institutions. Edward took a glance and then tucked them away.
Naranja Academy and Uva Academy correspond to the Scarlet and Violet versions of the franchise, respectively. However, in the real-world setting of Paldea, both schools coexisted peacefully in the same region. The relationship between the two was quite amicable—so much so that even their headmaster was the same person: Clavell.
That said, Edward still wasn't sure whether the Great Crater in Paldea led to the future or to the past.
Edward led his team and actors to Naranja Academy. In the end, he had chosen Naranja Academy as the filming location because one of its science lab buildings had an elevator, which suited the requirements of the scene quite well. Moreover, it was quiet enough to avoid any interruptions during shooting.
Filming here wouldn't disturb any students in their studies, and the building was far enough from the Pokémon battle arena so that no noise would interfere with their audio.
"I heard that today's lecture is going to be about the Hisui region! Apparently, some newly discovered ancient texts from historical ruins mention a Professor Laventon!" Just as Edward's team was carrying various equipment into the building, he overheard some students chatting excitedly about their afternoon class.
Edward paused for a moment.
Professor Laventon?
What a familiar name.
Back in Legends: Arceus, this character had accompanied the player through many adventures. And now… they were already considered part of ancient history?
Edward felt a moment of wistful reflection.
"Boss, can you move a bit faster?" Zoroark called out behind him, struggling while carrying a bunch of files. With a tone of mild exasperation, it urged Edward forward.
This boss of mine is always spacing out, blocking the hallway again. If it weren't for the fact that he's my boss, I'd have cursed him out already, Zoroark thought.
"Alright," Edward responded quickly, hastening his pace toward the science lab building. There, they began shooting the second victim's scenes. However, the filming didn't go as smoothly as anticipated. Still, Edward showed no signs of impatience—he repeated the shots over and over until he was satisfied with the outcome. Only then did he finally call it a wrap for the day.
"Director Edward, welcome to Naranja Academy." A warm and pleasant voice sounded behind him. Edward turned to see a white-haired man in a modest suit, with the school crests of both Naranja and Uva Academies embroidered on either side of his blazer.
But what surprised Edward even more was the woman standing beside Clavell.
Geeta.
The top Champion of the Paldea region, hailed as the strongest and most capable among all Champion-ranked trainers.
Edward couldn't help but wonder—if she were to go head-to-head with Champions from other leagues, who would come out on top?
"Director Clavell, Chairwoman Geeta, thank you both very much for your support," Edward said, a bit caught off guard, but he quickly stepped forward with enthusiasm.
He didn't know why two such major figures would show up just because he was filming a movie, but the etiquette drilled into him since childhood ensured he handled the situation with grace and professionalism.
"It is truly an honor that Naranja Academy can serve as the filming location for the hottest new director in the League," Clavell said with a genuine smile. Zoroark, meanwhile, gave a cautious glance at Geeta, a trace of wariness in its eyes.
"Oh, I'm just basking in a little fleeting fame," Edward replied modestly. He knew that after the pleasantries were done, there would surely be a deeper reason for their visit. That's just how adults work.
Still, standing next to Geeta, who remained calmly smiling, made Edward feel a little bit of pressure. After all, she wasn't just the reigning Champion—she was also the Chairwoman of the Paldea Pokémon League. Edward almost wanted to poke fun at her luscious, seaweed-like hair, but wisely kept the thought to himself.
"Director Edward, both Naranja and Uva Academies have film and directing programs. Our students look up to you tremendously. I wonder if you'd be willing to give a lecture?" Clavell finally revealed the real reason for his visit, still smiling brightly.
Edward blinked. They wanted him to give a lecture?
"Well… I suppose I could. It's just that I'm not particularly good at public speaking, so it might not be all that effective," Edward said with an awkward smile. Not in his wildest dreams had he imagined being invited to lecture at a school—especially not one located in Paldea.
"Director Edward, just your presence on the stage will mean the world to our students," Clavell said, laughing heartily.
As a rising star in the film world, Edward's debut work had already grossed over 1 billion in box office sales. At the current pace, the film was on track to break 1.5 billion soon—a truly impressive figure.
This success had made Edward a well-known name in the industry, and thanks to his strong backing from the Devon Corporation, few were willing to offend him. This, in turn, meant that many online communities were full of praise for Edward, although he himself didn't pay much attention to that.
"Director Edward, I've seen your Dead Silence. It's an excellent film," Geeta added with a polite smile.
"But I have a small question: for someone like Mary Shaw, can I use a Pokémon to deal with her?" There was a hint of genuine curiosity in her gaze as she asked.
Edward smacked his lips in disbelief.
Listen to yourself—is that even a human question? If you were the one fighting Mary Shaw… well, she'd probably pack up her haunted puppets and flee into the night the moment you summoned Dragapult.
"Ahem… Champion Geeta, I'm sure you noticed that in the world of Dead Silence, Pokémon don't exist," Edward said, clearing his throat. He definitely didn't want to turn Dead Silence into an action film. Otherwise, instead of the audience discussing how not to scream, they'd all be talking about what Pokémon would be best suited for speedrunning Mary Shaw.
(End of Chapter)