Drawing Manga in a Romance Fantasy

Chapter 136

“Your Highness, please maintain your composure.”

The memory of his steward’s plea came to Edric’s mind as he watched the lifelike image of Elsa unfold before him.

Ever since he first read Frozen Kingdom and learned about the character Elsa, Edric had fallen deeply into the world of manga.

What began as simply reading manga soon grew into collecting manga-related items, a pastime that brought him immeasurable joy.

However, as his fascination with manga grew, so did the concern of those around him.

Even the steward who had been by his side since childhood once begged him earnestly to return to his old self.

“Sometimes, I find the palace suffocating.”

This was Edric’s response to the steward’s worries.

From his earliest memories, he had always been careful with his actions.

Not only did he have to constantly gauge his father’s mood, but he also found his half-brothers intimidating and his older sister downright frightening.

Even his mother’s constant advice revolved around caution in his speech and behavior.

While Edric willingly bore these burdens as his duty, he couldn’t deny the occasional emptiness in his heart.

Then, one day, amidst his monotonous routine, Frozen Kingdom came into his life like a ray of light.

The character Elsa felt strikingly similar to him.

Perhaps that was why, during the scene where she sang freely after breaking free from all restraints, tears unknowingly streamed down his face. The latter part, where she embraced her destiny, resonated deeply within him.

For others, it may have been just a book with pretty drawings and a fun story, but to Edric, it felt like a work that understood his struggles and offered solace.

From that point on, Edric began wishing that Elsa from Frozen Kingdom truly existed.@@@@

Of course, he knew how absurd the thought was, even without others pointing it out.

“But isn’t the thought alone enough?”

Continuing to live only by others' expectations would render him no different from Elsa trapped in her icy palace.

Edric wanted to live for himself now, pursuing his desires.

Clap, clap, clap.

As the credits rolled on the screen, signaling the end of the show, Edric stood and began clapping.

Following his lead, the other audience members also rose, their applause filling the theater.

“My name...”

Among the crowd, there were others besides Edric who shed tears, particularly those who had been part of the Frozen Kingdom animation project.

Wolfgang, the music director for all the compositions in the film, struggled to contain his overwhelming emotions.

Memories of Rupert, who had offered him another chance when he was lost after losing his hand, flashed before his eyes. He recalled the days spent at the Somerset estate during the break, composing with his music department friends.

The audience eagerly took the unfamiliar items. The glossy posters resembled the covers of manga volumes, featuring a stunning illustration of Elsa and her sister against a backdrop of blue and white.

“This is so beautiful, I want to hang it in my room.”

The poster’s quality was a testament to Rupert’s painstaking efforts.

“Are these free with the movie?”

“Yes, and they’ll change every two weeks.”

Realizing they could collect such exquisite posters for free, the audience felt the animation was worth watching just for that.

“And look at these special goods! Postcards of Frozen Kingdom!

“My daughter would love these!”

The idea of receiving such items just for watching a film was so surprising that people joked it must be a scam.

“How can you afford to give so much away?”

“It’s fine. Your enjoyment is all that matters,” Rupert replied with a warm smile.

“But surely there’s no profit in this...?”

“There’s profit—you, the audience, are the profit.”

Moved to tears, some grasped Rupert’s hands, marveling at his selflessness.

Esteban watched quietly from behind, amused by the misunderstanding.

“The posters and postcards are just paper, after all, and cost next to nothing.”

Somerset’s own workshops produced them at minimal cost. What made them valuable was Rupert’s masterful artwork, which lent them an air of sophistication.

“Get people to watch once, then make them return. And once they’ve returned, make them come back again!”

Esteban recalled Rupert’s words when he suggested swapping the posters and goods every two weeks.

Rupert had poured all their earnings into the grand project of building theaters across the empire. Raising ticket prices would have been the easiest way to recoup costs, but that would have alienated the commoners. Instead, he focused on enticing repeat viewings through collectible goods.

It was a masterstroke of marketing, one even Esteban couldn’t help but admire.

“What if we sell rare cards separately at higher prices?” Esteban had once suggested during the King of Cards craze.

But Rupert had vehemently refused.

“Never! The moment we do that, the King of Cards brand will fail.”

Though selling rare cards might bring short-term profits, Rupert argued it would kill the long-term value of the franchise.

“Things that are too easy to obtain lose their allure.”

The more Esteban observed Rupert, the more amazed he became. Despite sometimes exhibiting greed surpassing that of other nobles, Rupert also displayed extraordinary generosity in unexpected ways.

“Could he truly be a messenger sent by the goddess?”

Unknowingly, Esteban found himself closer to the truth than he realized.