Drawing Manga in a Romance Fantasy

Chapter 67

Finally, the victory parade for the meritorious subjects came to an end, and the attendees of the Imperial Palace event were now gathered for a closing banquet before heading home.

Initially, due to the Emperor’s sour mood over the Crown Prince’s injury, there was not supposed to be a parade or a banquet, but the situation had changed dramatically.

The Crown Prince appeared wearing the new golem arm crafted by Kroon.

The reaction from the surrounding nobles, who marveled at the sight of the Crown Prince moving his right arm naturally, was nothing short of ecstatic.

The most unexpected reaction came from the Emperor himself.

The moment when the Emperor, known for his cold demeanor, shed tears as he watched the Crown Prince move his new arm was astonishing.

It was no surprise, then, that the Emperor had arranged an impromptu victory parade and banquet.

“Rupert Somerset, your contributions cannot be considered small by any means.”

Among the many attendees of the closing banquet, it was the Emperor himself who approached Rupert first and spoke to him directly.

During the selection of the meritorious subjects, the Emperor had been cold, but now, with his kind words of praise, it felt almost overwhelming.

The Emperor’s words drew the attention of everyone toward Rupert.

Barely managing to express his thanks for the Emperor’s praise, Rupert was surprised when the Emperor continued.

“Would you consider serving the Imperial Family?”

The Emperor’s sudden offer left Rupert momentarily speechless, a silence that would typically be seen as rude.

In any other situation, failing to respond immediately to the Emperor’s question would be considered a serious breach of etiquette, but this time was an exception.

The Emperor followed up with an even more surprising offer—would Rupert become the Crown Prince’s new chief attendant?

The position of chief attendant to the Crown Prince was one coveted by all non-heirs of the Empire’s noble families.

If the Crown Prince were to ascend to the throne, his chief attendant would become a chief noble of the court and a close confidant—an incredible opportunity for advancement.

Though Rupert wasn’t from a high-ranking family, the position offered him a chance to become a new count, a prestigious position that many younger sons of noble families desired.

If this had been early on after his reincarnation into this world, Rupert would have accepted the offer without hesitation.@@@@

But now...

‘If I become the chief attendant, what will happen to my family?’

Though his father could manage the family for a while, only Rupert and Ada remained as potential heirs.

If Rupert disappeared, Ada would have to inherit the family.

Despite the tempting offer, Rupert chose to prioritize his family.

‘I can’t abandon them as long as they haven’t given up on me.’

Though he hadn’t chosen to be Rupert Somerset, since becoming him, he had felt a sense of responsibility and obligation to the family.

There were also the people he had gathered to pursue his creative ambitions: Count Bradley, Ada, Kroon, Sena, and Esteban. So many people were now depending on him, just as he was depending on them.

Money and power were great, but Rupert had come to realize that what he had now was something money and power could never buy.

“Your Majesty, I am honored by your offer, but I must humbly decline. I do not believe I have the skills to bear such a heavy responsibility.”

As for elves, they weren’t a common sight, so whether the story was accurate or not, no one could tell.

Besides, elves were a race that could easily attract attention with their tall, slender beauty and mysterious aura. They seemed almost born to be the perfect subjects for a story.

However, as Rupert pondered over the idea, he felt that an elf-focused story might lack something. Then, another idea suddenly struck him.

‘Vampires!’

Vampires were popular in both Western and Eastern folklore, creatures of legend who drank blood.

Whether in movies, manga, novels, or dramas, vampires were a timelessly popular theme across all media.

Rupert envisioned stories of vampires being cut down with swords, or thrilling scenes where guns and blades were used to wipe out the undead.

‘Since vampires exist in this world too...’

He thought that a story about a secret organization hunting vampires, which threatened the continent, would resonate well with people in this world.

To avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings, Rupert decided that while the protagonist would be human, the setting could involve elves or other non-human races to make the story more intriguing.

With the rough outline of his next project now forming in his mind, Rupert returned his focus to the storyboards for volumes 7 and 8.

The story was already entering its final stages. The main characters were scattered, each working to prevent the unfolding plans.

Edmund, the older brother, was leading the northern army southward, while Lloyd Cavallo, despite being under surveillance by the military, was preparing for a counterattack.

Meanwhile, Alex, the younger brother, was awakening to the truths he had encountered at the Gate of Heaven, ready to face off against the homunculi in a climactic showdown.

Lloyd Cavallo, who faced off against Luxuria, the Sin of Lust, and Invidia, the Sin of Envy, would be the main focus of volume 7.

The eighth volume would delve into the reveal of their father, Von Paracelsus’s true identity, and the complex emotions of Edmund as the story reached its conclusion.

Until now, Rupert had drawn readers in with shocking scenes, but now it was time for the intricate gears of the plot to start clicking together, delivering satisfaction through their intricacy.

“Master Rupert, you’re already working? You’ll exhaust yourself at this rate.”

“I know, that’s why I’ve limited myself to just one vitality potion a day.”

As Alain handed Rupert a cup of iced Americano, he expressed his concerns, but Rupert reassured him.

Though Rupert’s work pace had improved, his responsibilities had lessened thanks to his assistants, leaving him with more time than before.

‘Ada’s still sulking because I didn’t take her to the capital. I should do something to cheer her up.’

Rupert couldn’t shake the image of Ada, pouting because she hadn’t been able to join him on the trip to the capital.

She’d likely be over it by the time she woke up, but Rupert thought it might be a good time to create another fairy tale for her. It had been a while since he last made one.

With so many of his readers being children, Rupert wanted to create something bright and joyful for them as a gift.

‘Something with a bit of adventure would be nice.’

He had already done several stories featuring princesses, and his recent release, A Dog of Flanders, though educational, was too sad. This time, he wanted something more uplifting.

Suddenly, a game he had enjoyed before being reincarnated into this world came to mind.

It was a Korean console game that reimagined classic fairy tales as a soul-like adventure game.

He recalled how that story had masterfully encapsulated both the thrill of adventure and the innocent wonder of childhood.