The Dog of Flanders.

“Is this really possible?”

A group of people had gathered around a single book, engaging in a heated discussion. Their topic of debate was the contents of the newly released Volume 2 of The Iron-Blooded Alchemist.

“The secret alchemy left behind by my master, the Alchemy of Flames, is the ultimate and most terrifying form of alchemy, controlling the hydrogen and oxygen particles in the air!”

People were amazed by the scene where enemies were incinerated with just a snap of the protagonist's fingers.

“You see? I told you the Iron-Blooded kid wouldn’t stand a chance against the Flame Alchemist!”

“You have to admit it! Is the Flame Alchemist a god?”

As everyone read at their own pace, some urged others to turn the page faster, while others pleaded to slow down, saying they hadn’t finished reading yet.

While getting a limited edition or a deluxe hardcover version was nearly impossible, the standard editions were still released in sufficient quantities, so at least one person in each village managed to get a copy.

Whoever got their hands on a copy could strut around like a victorious general returning from war.

‘Didn’t you insult me a few years back, calling me bald?’

‘That was ages ago at a drinking party!’

‘I haven’t forgotten, so you can’t read this with me!’

People who had become engrossed in the manga tried to curry favor with those who had secured a copy, hoping for a chance to read it together.

Of course, the standard edition would eventually be available to everyone as more copies were printed, but waiting for that was excruciating.

Especially when those who had already read it would say things like:

‘Ah... that Chimera Alchemist introduced in Volume 2 is suspicious, don’t you think?’

‘No kidding! Anyone who creates such hideous creatures can’t be normal!’

Whether intentional or not, those who hadn’t read it yet shuddered at the thought of spoilers being carelessly revealed by those who had.

But even those who had finished reading didn’t find any solace.

“How could it end like this?!”

“Nana... Nana is in danger! That father is definitely up to something!”

“Forget that, who are these new homunculi? Their names are based on the Seven Deadly Sins, so there must be something more to them.”

Readers felt a deep sense of frustration at the cliffhanger in Volume 2, which left them on the edge of their seats, desperate for more.

Considering it had only been a month between Volumes 1 and 2, the thought of waiting another month for the next volume left them feeling utterly helpless.

“What’s this?”

Those who reached the final page of Volume 2 discovered a small slip of paper at the back of the book.

‘Raffle ticket for the newly released The Iron-Blooded Alchemist Imperial Alchemist’s Pocket Watch.’

It was an entry ticket for a special edition merchandise raffle, with only 12 winners.

“Are they saying they’re raffling off the pocket watch from the manga?”

“Wait, doesn’t that mean the more tickets you have, the higher your chances of winning?”

One thought crossed everyone’s mind simultaneously.

If it was a raffle, then as long as you were lucky, even just one copy could secure you a win, right?

They had already thought the Imperial Alchemist’s pocket watch depicted in the manga was cool and wanted to own it.

And now, they had a chance to get it for free?

“This isn’t a meaningless expense! It’s a rational choice.”

If they did win, it would surely sell for an astronomical price.

Even the limited edition manga fetched several times its original price, with nobles willing to pay tens of times more for it.

This pocket watch, limited to just 12 units, would undoubtedly be worth even more.

For commoners, it would be like stumbling upon a gold bar on the street.

“When’s the next shipment coming in?”

Whether they had already purchased a copy or not, everyone was determined to secure Volume 2.

But none of them could have guessed that the same thing was happening across the entire Empire.

“What kind of shameless people could do such a thing?”

If Volume 2 of The Iron-Blooded Alchemist sparked a craze for stockpiling manga, then the fairy tale The Dog of Flanders, released around the same time, created a different kind of uproar.

As they read about the red-haired boy struggling to survive with his grandfather, striving for a brighter future, people were moved.

And as one misfortune after another befell the boy, they felt deep sorrow.

But since most of the previous fairy tales, except The Little Mermaid, had ended happily, readers believed that the protagonist of The Dog of Flanders would also find happiness with his dog, Patrasche.

“How could this be!!! An ending like this...”

Even as the story approached its end, with no twist in sight, readers felt a growing unease, and when they reached the final scene, everyone wept.

It wasn’t just the children who cried.

The kids were already wailing, demanding that Nero and Patrasche be brought back to life, rolling on the ground in their grief, while even the adults couldn’t hold back their tears.

If the book hadn’t been waterproof, countless soaked copies would have been ruined.

“Child, I’ll buy all the fruit you have there.”

“What? All of it?”

“Yes, keep working hard, and never give up!”

Even the street vendors, mostly orphans of war or children from impoverished families trying to make ends meet, saw a sudden spike in sales.

Normally, nobles wouldn’t even glance their way, often complaining that they dirtied the streets.

But suddenly, these same nobles were buying their goods and even patting them on the head, offering words of encouragement. It was baffling, but they soon realized it was because of the impact of The Dog of Flanders.

From that moment on, it became fashionable among the Empire’s orphans and struggling children to be seen with a dog.

Word spread that a child selling goods with a dog by their side would see their wares disappear as if by magic.

“This is astounding, no matter how many times I see it.”

The Borus Empire was a nation that worshipped the goddess Gaia, who was said to have created the continent of Silvania.

As a result, there were no other religions recognized, and the worship of the goddess was the state religion, with the Church of the Goddess holding such a lofty status that even the imperial family could not easily meddle with it.

The main temple of the Church of the Goddess was located in the Empire’s eastern region, in a place known as Celestial, the ‘Heavenly Garden.’

According to legend, this was where the goddess lay down to rest after creating the continent, making it the holiest site of the Church.

It was said that in Celestial, flowers bloomed year-round, regardless of the season, and the place was so bright at night that it seemed like daytime.

Even the monsters, descendants of the demons that roamed the continent, dared not approach this place. It was nothing short of a miracle of the goddess.

Given its importance, only the pope and the highest-ranking clergy resided in Celestial, but recently, a small commotion had occurred there.

“Has everyone read this fairy tale?”

It was due to a statement by the saintess.

One day, the saintess had come forward with a book and gathered the clergy, opening to a specific page.

“The content is truly admirable. Despite being the children of the goddess, the book realistically portrays those who discriminate and oppress the poor.”

Many of the clergy, having already read The Dog of Flanders, agreed with the saintess’s sentiment.

“The author included this scene at the end.”

In the final scene of the book, the protagonist and the dog were depicted lying before a grand and holy painting, a depiction of the goddess herself.

The contrast between the humble, small characters and the large, majestic, and sacred painting was striking.

The image was so beautiful that it left viewers in awe.

“I realized something while looking at this painting of the goddess! This is our divine mission from the goddess.”

“What do you mean?”

The clergy were puzzled by the saintess’s words. They understood the part about helping those who were discriminated against and oppressed, but what divine mission did she see in this painting?

“Until now, we have neglected the paintings and murals depicting the goddess, treating them as insignificant.”

The truth was, it wasn’t so much neglect as it was that the artists on the continent of Silvania weren’t very skilled.

When they commissioned someone to paint the goddess, they often received bizarre and poorly executed works, and the prevailing opinion had been that it was better to give any spare funds to the poor than to hang such disgraceful paintings.

“But imagine if paintings like this were displayed in every church across the Empire, how beautiful and awe-inspiring it would be!”

“Indeed, a painting like this would not only be appropriate but would also help people feel the grandeur of the goddess.”

The saintess’s suggestion wasn’t unreasonable.

The final scene of The Dog of Flanders, which Rupert had poured his heart and soul into, was so beautiful that it was hard to believe it was from a mere fairy tale.

In fact, it far surpassed the work of the imperial court painter, Saint, who was considered the greatest artist in the Empire.

“I’ve heard that a new church is being built in Goldpool Valley, the estate of Rupert Somerset, the author of this fairy tale.”

“Yes, that’s correct, Saintess. Brother Manuel has already been dispatched, and the construction is well underway.”

“What if we had a large and magnificent version of the goddess’s painting from this fairy tale painted in that church for everyone to see?”

“That’s an excellent idea! We could start there and see how people respond before expanding it further.”

As the clergyman agreed with her plan, the saintess decided it was a good idea, and then added,

“In that case, it would be fitting for me to personally visit and oversee its installation.”

Thus, without Rupert’s knowledge, the saintess of the goddess’s church, who wielded power second only to the emperor, confirmed her visit to his estate.