episode_0077

“Is the storyboard work already finished?”

Esteban used to meet with Rupert two or three times a week to talk, unless something came up.

But, due to Rupert’s recent busy schedule of working as a professor at the academy, we could only meet once on the weekends.

“Yes, I thought there wouldn’t be enough time, but somehow I managed to fit the schedule.”

Rupert felt relieved for the first time in a long time.

I’ve finally finished the storyboards for volumes 9 and 10 of , and now all that’s left is to finish up Saint and Sena.

With his work practically done, Rupert was enjoying some proper rest for the first time in a while.

“I told the craftsmen in advance. They have to be prepared to work overtime this month.”

“I wanted to avoid it as much as possible… How did the craftsmen react?”

Rupert responded to Esteban’s mention of working overtime with a look that said, “How could you make someone do something like that?”

Esteban’s expression distorted for a moment when he saw Rupert’s expression, even though he was in front of an important partner.

‘Don’t you have a conscience? Are you treating me like an evil employer right now?’

Esteban glared at Rupert, who was known among the merchants as the Iron Mask, for breaking his composure, but the man in question shamelessly continued to drink his tea.

“… The craftsmen responded surprisingly positively.”

The craftsmen were delighted, saying that it turned out well even though Esteban had said that it would be hard work for a month.

Now, all I could think about was that he didn’t know this place.

“It was a really good idea to release a limited edition complete version of volumes 1-10.”

Even now, the books are sold in limited editions, hardcovers, and paperbacks, but I remembered Rupert’s suggestion to sell all the volumes in commemoration of the completion with a new cover and case.

At first, Esteban had doubts about whether he should buy something he had already bought again at an expensive price.

Since it was Rupert’s suggestion, I thought I was being fooled and instructed them to take reservations under the name of a limited edition to commemorate the completion.

And he couldn’t help but be surprised when he saw that the demand was several times more than he had initially expected.

‘That’s just how it is here. I can’t stand anything that’s limited edition.’

What kind of floor is this that allows us to predict such unreasonable consumption?

Because of this, the factory had to operate without stopping for the time being, not only to print volumes 9 and 10, but also to create a limited edition set to commemorate the completion.

“How about a contest?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. There are a lot of people who tear off the contest notices so that others can’t see them, and there are even people who have already submitted their entries.”

“Already?”

“Most of it is childish scribbles.”

It hadn’t even been a week since the announcement was made, and it was impossible to submit a manuscript for three episodes unless it had been prepared in advance.

There are so many works that people just want to submit for the prize money, so the upper management who have to filter them out are having a harder time.

Of course, the prize money of 100 gold was a very large sum of money, not only for commoners but also for nobles, so it was an understandable reaction.

“But, is it really possible to select works in this way?”

“Well, honestly, it’s hard to come up with a perfect piece.”

Rupert also knew what Esteban Sangdan was worried about.

However, there was only one possibility that Rupert was hoping for.

The fairy tales and comic books he has spread. The stories born in this other world will surely be filled with fascinating possibilities.

If you are technically inexperienced, you can help yourself.

But since Rupert can’t teach you anything else, this contest was meant to be a chance for those with potential.

‘It would be nice if someone who is incredibly good at drawing and has good content came out.’

Rupert thought it was a bit shameless, even in his own opinion. To expect such a genius to appear in this new world where comics were just beginning to emerge.

***

“Wooden doll.”

Iolin began sketching on paper with the pen that came in the introductory manga set that the attendant had brought her.

What she found attractive about the recent work she saw, , was that the puppet Pinocchio spoke and moved like a human.

Of course, it was possible because of the fairy’s magic, but she wondered in that setting, what if it wasn’t magic?

‘Like my brother’s new golem.’

Crown Prince Alex has changed so much lately that he is unrecognizable.

She knew that her older brother Alex was a man of deep feelings, but she felt sorry for his lack of a firm personality.

In her view, if Alex had only been a little more decisive, he would have been a better monarch than his father, the Emperor.

But the way Alex changed in an instant left Iolin in awe.

It has been said that he no longer acts indecisively like before, but rather listens to the opinions of those around him and even leads discussions at royal meetings.

‘Do people really grow and learn through sacrifice?’

Alex, who lost his right arm and was equipped with an arm of steel, seemed to have really grown up, so the line from the comic felt plausible.

Rupert’s cartoons were not just simply entertaining, but also contained deep reflections on people, so Iolin became obsessed with drawing cartoons of similar content.

‘The wooden doll’s entire body moves automatically, just like a new type of golem.’

Iolin thought that, unlike Pinocchio, it would be nice to have a puppet made of precise mechanical parts.

‘Should I call it a mechanical doll?’

The dolls moved like puppets, and it would be really cool if they fought fiercely like knights.

The G pen in her hand began to dance on the paper, and her skills, which had grown beyond recognition despite only having practiced drawing for a short time, resulted in the creation of a wonderful painting.

Iolin, who had drawn a draft of the mechanical doll, fell into agony again.

It was good that they used machine dolls as a subject matter and it seemed cool that they would fight, but there was no reason why they had to fight.

All the fairy tales and comics she had seen had a clear purpose to the story.

She felt that what she needed now was the purpose of such a story, so she began to build up the narrative in her head.

‘The first mechanical doll wants to become human, just like Pinocchio.’

A mechanical doll with emotions that was created by chance one day.

The doll, known as the first doll, develops a desire to become human over time.

When I thought about the taboos that should not be touched because of greed, such as stories about using humans as experimental subjects and committing evil deeds, it seemed quite plausible.

The story of the protagonist, a mechanical doll craftsman, destroying the first doll with the doll he controls in order to stop the first doll.

Although it is not yet at a level where it can be submitted to a contest, Iolin felt proud that the basic framework was complete.

‘Did he also go through this process to create his cartoons?’

It’s both about putting your imagination into a drawing and about creating a story with the drawing.

It came as quite a pleasant surprise to her.

She was the type of person who would lose interest in anything easily, but for some reason, I had a feeling that this time, she wouldn’t get tired of it easily.

***

“Go! Richard, you have to live too!”

“Don’t talk nonsense! I’ll make a way, so just follow me!”

A man holding a huge sword, and what he was holding was too big to be a sword.

Kaaaak!

Behind the man, a woman was lying on the ground. She had a bow in her hand, as if she was using it, and a quiver of arrows was slung on her back.

However, the woman’s condition did not look good. She was seriously injured, with blood visibly flowing from her stomach.

The man swung his huge sword to protect that woman.

The huge sword that most people would never dare to lift moved briskly as if swinging a wooden stick.

The ‘things’ that rushed to attack them were swept away like scarecrows.

It was clearly a sword, so it was supposed to cut, but the expression “being swept away” was more accurate for the way it looked.

But there were still a lot of them left.

Even after seeing his comrades who had been swept away, he was still not afraid. He shouted with a fierce glare and bared his beast-like teeth.

“Idiot… You have a home to go back to. How long are you going to make your father and siblings, who you always talk about, wait?”

No matter how she looked at the situation, it seemed hopeless. The woman pushed the man’s back again, telling him to run away alone.

No matter how I looked at her wounds, it seemed like it would be difficult for her to escape from this place, so I thought that those who live should live.

“If I leave you behind, your family won’t welcome you back home.”

– Above all, what’s the point of living if I abandon you?

The woman simply replied that he was an idiot, but something hot flowed from her eyes.

The woman concentrates, winking at the pointy ears that are particularly developed on her body.

“The number of guys identified by sound is over 50.”

“It’s easy. Just swing five at a time ten times.”

The man took up a stance again, drawing the huge sword towards his body.

He said it as if it was nothing so that the woman wouldn’t worry, but he also knew that it was difficult.

They had such strong vitality that they could move for a while even after having their necks cut off, and their sharp claws and teeth were powerful opponents that could easily tear through even steel armor.

When faced with a crisis that could determine my survival, I suddenly remembered the time when I had gone into battle without knowing anything and had barely managed to survive, lost and wandering around.

His teacher whom he encountered while wandering through the forest without water.

I learned many things from him, including swordsmanship, and now I have taken up his mantle and inherited his legacy.

Richard remembered his master’s words.

-Burn everything you have.

He swung his sword as he recalled those words.

‘I must keep my head cool and my heart warm, and set my mind on fire.’

-I will go beyond my limits. I am Richard…heir to the throne of Somerset and captain of the Crimson Wardens.

The sword was burning red.