ALL NOVEL Chapter 173
“Master, do you really have to go?”
During the break, Edric was staying at the Somerset Mansion, just like last time.
He was trying to persuade Rupert, who was packing his bags, looking worried.
“Adrian asked me, and I’ve never been outside the Empire, so I think it’s a good opportunity.”
Edric found it hard to argue against Rupert’s words.
‘What a precious time to discuss comics with Professor Adrian!’
Naturally, Edric felt disappointed.
He was preparing to show Rupert the comic he was working on, hoping to get some advice, but now that time was stolen from him.
“Please be careful. The royal family invited you, so they’ll look out for you, but the feelings towards the Empire in Sylvania aren’t great.”
Not that Edric could stop Rupert from going, so he offered at least some advice.
“Yes, that’s why Her Highness the Princess has sent special guards.”
“Your sister?”
Edric was a bit surprised by Rupert’s mention of his sister Ioleen sending the guards.
‘Well, if it’s my sister…’
If royalty sends their guards to someone, it means they place great trust in them.
Therefore, sending a royal guard to someone else without the Emperor’s consent is practically impossible.
Thinking this concerned Rupert, Edric figured that there would be no problem.
He had heard Rupert declaring in front of the Emperor that he would rise to the honorary Duke in ten years and marry Ioleen.
‘I’m happy that my Master will become my brother-in-law, but it’s unfortunate that the partner is my sister.’
Edric brushed his forehead with his hand.
He had no injuries now, but just a while ago, there had been a huge bump on it.
“Traitors must face punishment; that’s the way of the world, little brother.”
Edric had been helping Ioleen with her swordsmanship training for a few months, and he had allowed her to land a hit on him, surprising himself.
Sure, she hadn’t surpassed his skill yet, but Edric’s carelessness in not being able to show his full strength against his sister had led to the disaster.
“Ugh!! What kind of person hits a fallen opponent?”
“Are you pretending to be hurt? Do you think I don’t know your steel-like body?”
Of course, if he returned her precious collection that he had ‘borrowed’ from her, he might have received fewer hits.
“I guess I’ll just have to take it.”
While taking the flurry of wooden sword blows from Ioleen, Edric thought it was a fair price for a limited edition.
“Is this really the end?”
“Yep. After all, I have obtained something more precious.”
With that, a satisfied smile appeared on Ioleen’s face in response to Edric’s worry that getting hit like this and having to give back the limited edition would be way too sad.
“That precious thing must be referring to my Master.”
Ioleen seemed to have no doubt that Rupert would achieve great things and rise to the honorary Duke.
“Master, as your brother, my advice is you must never argue with my sister.”
“Yes?”
“You should resolve everything through conversation.”
Rupert wore a perplexed expression at Edric’s advice, but Edric could not provide any further detailed counsel.
If Ioleen found out about this, she might show up with a real sword instead of a wooden one.
“It’s not a long trip, so I’ll come back and look at Edric’s work again.”
“Thank you, Master.”
After finishing his speech, Rupert left the mansion, leaving Edric alone in the third-floor workshop of the Somerset Mansion, drawing comics and brainstorming in his head.
‘These drawings are already so good, and the things I draw can come to life.’
Edric recalled the recent news.
– “Iron-Blooded Alchemist” to be animated!
After hearing that the currently airing “King of Cards” animation would conclude and follow with “Iron-Blooded Alchemist,” Edric couldn’t contain his excitement.
If he had to pick a favorite character from his comics, it would be Elza from “Kingdom of Ice” and Windy from “Iron-Blooded Alchemist.”
Among them, Elza was the one he had already watched countless times at the Somerset Theater.
Naturally, he had even bought a projector meant for nobles, so he still watched it whenever he had the time.
And now, the news that Windy would also be turned into an animation fueled Edric’s motivation.
“One day, I’ll make the comic I drew into an animation!”
Rupert mentioned that not only his own works but also those serialized in Manapia would be animated sequentially.
That was Edric’s immediate goal.
Swish.
The initial clumsy drawings were becoming passable now.
“As I mentioned before, Edric’s characters really seem alive. That’s a big plus.”
Although there were critiques about his story and direction lacking in some parts, Edric found motivation in the talk of improving bit by bit.
“Maybe I should take a quick walk?”
To fill in his weaknesses, Edric was constantly reading other works and practicing drawing every day.
Having practiced drawing for a while, he decided to step outside the workshop and take a stroll through the garden of Somerset Mansion.
But suddenly,
*Pop!*
“What’s this presence?”
While wandering the garden, Edric sensed a secret presence in one corner of the mansion.
Recognizing it as a discreet presence that even decent knights would miss, Edric immediately took a defensive stance.
‘This is definitely the movement of assassins, isn’t it?’
The silent movement was a signature of those who stepped into the world of darkness.
Edric reached for the sword at his waist and headed toward the source of the presence.
‘Since that day, carrying a sword everywhere has been quite helpful.’
After the recent attack on Somerset by Sataniel, Edric was grateful for his decision to always carry a sword for unforeseen situations.
‘It might be a small thing, but consider it a favor for the help you gave me.’
He cherished the sword he received as a gift, one of the masterpieces crafted by the dwarf Kroon.
There were many fine swords in the imperial family, but none fit him as well as this one did.
And with the sword ready to be drawn at any moment, Edric arrived at the source of the presence.
‘This place is….’
Edric’s feet arrived at none other than Kroon’s personal workshop.
‘That’s a place Kroon personally uses. He keeps it locked to prevent anyone from entering when he’s researching or making something new.’
Now familiar with Somerset Mansion from having visited several times, Edric knew how precious this place was.
Kroon might not know it, but rumors were swirling in the Empire about the basement of Somerset.
‘Have you heard the rumor that dwarves and elves have been kidnapped in the basement of the Somerset Family?’
‘Oh, that? I’ve heard it too. They say if you can’t produce new items after being locked in the basement, torture awaits you.’
It was a ridiculous rumor born from Somerset Workshop’s unstoppable production of new things.
Yet, the rumor wasn’t entirely unfounded, as the very space serving as a basement was Kroon’s personal workshop.
‘Could they be from another merchant association?’
Edric stealthily approached Kroon’s workshop door, hiding his presence.
He believed these must be people sent by another merchant association to steal the technology of the Somerset family and Yuren Merchant Association.
The lock on the workshop door looked complicated and was unlocked without damage.
‘To open such a complicated lock without breaking it….’
Edric raised his evaluation of the intruder.
– “Your Highness, the truly fearsome assassins are not the swift and nimble ones.”
He recalled the words of his master, the sword master who taught him swordsmanship.
– “Real assassins excel in other techniques. Some can unlock even the most complex locks and leave without anyone knowing.”
Edric felt tense, knowing this intruder would undoubtedly be no ordinary foe.
He understood he shouldn’t directly involve himself in such dangerous matters, but…
‘While my Master is absent, I will protect Somerset!’
There wouldn’t be any escape routes, so Edric steeled himself and kicked the door open.
***
“The Creator didn’t give me a name.”
“What’s a Creator?”
Aida frowned at the doll using difficult words she didn’t understand.
“In simple terms, it means the one who made me.”
“So, Kroon?”
“Of course, he also made me, but I was created according to Lady Jenia’s wishes.”
Aida found it hard to understand what the doll was saying.
So, she put aside the pesky talk and took out a new book she’d brought and opened it.
“This is a book my brother made for me!”
“Rudolph?”
“Yeah! This story has a reindeer with a red nose…”
“The noses of reindeer vary by individual, but typically they are brown; a red one cannot exist.”
“No! If my brother says it exists, then it does!”
“Is that so?”
“Yep.”
The doll without even a name began to read the book titled “Rudolph,” which Aida had brought.
Whenever Aida came to see it, she would bring interesting things.
Most of the time, they were books made by her brother, but sometimes she’d bring dictionaries at her request.
Thus, while Aida was away, the doll learned to speak naturally from reading books alone.
“Woof!”
“What is it, Rach! Why are you barking all of a sudden?”
While reading the newly brought “Rudolph” fairy tale with the doll, Aida responded to Rach’s barking that had caught her off guard.
“There’s an intruder.”
The doll recognized that someone had entered the workshop as Rach began barking.
‘It’s neither Master nor Lord Kroon.’
It had already memorized the bio-signatures of both Kroon and Aida.
‘I must eliminate the intruder to ensure Aida’s safety.’
The doll was on the verge of activating the security measures, unknowingly planted by Jenia.