“Old man, you’re the last one. Any final words?”

Lloyd Cavallo, leaning against the wall, panting, spoke to the western native elder.

“I despise you.”

It was a simple statement, yet there was no sign of defeat on the old man’s face.

“You despicable wretch!!!”

“How could soldiers commit such a massacre….”

“This is all because of General King Brandon—or no, it’s because of those artificial humans, isn’t it!”

The storm caused by the news of the simultaneous release of The Iron-Blooded Alchemist volumes 5 and 6.

Even before, if you didn’t start lining up at least a week in advance, you wouldn’t get a chance to obtain the limited or first editions, but this time it was on another level.

It had gotten so bad that the city guards had to step in to control the chaos.

Some opportunists even began selling snacks and food to the people in line, and those who had come from the countryside mistook the scene for a festival being held.

Honestly, I think people’s dignity should be respected when it comes to bathroom breaks…

Originally, stepping out of the line even for a moment meant forfeiting your place. However, with so many people waiting for such a long time, the Yuren Trading Company allowed a temporary exception for biological needs, permitting three 10-minute bathroom breaks per day.

Of course, the true beneficiaries of this policy were the nearby shops around Yuren Trading Company.

The local merchants, who had initially been furious, thinking the crowd would disturb their business, found their sales skyrocketing as people stopped by to use their restrooms and purchase something on the way out, causing them to beam with joy.

“I knew you’d come through, author!!!”

“Author? Is the author your friend or something?!”

“I’m not gay, but I’d live in a log cabin in the woods with this author. Though….”

Readers, who had been worried that they would have to wait longer due to a delayed release, were overjoyed when the new volumes came out sooner than expected.

And with both volumes 5 and 6 released at once, there was no need to experience the disappointment of finishing one volume and having to wait another month for the next. Now they could move straight into the next volume.

“If I could read the next volume in advance, I’d pay double—even triple the price!”

“What? I mean, the story is great, but isn’t that a bit too expensive?”

“What can you do when you’re desperate to see what happens next!”

People in line chatted excitedly as they held their freshly released first-edition copies, which the publishers had wisely prepared in abundance.

Oh… this might be a good idea. What if we sold preview editions for a higher price before the official release?

Esteban, the head of Yuren Trading Company, overheard the conversation and began to form a rather sinister plan.

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, he only thought about it, avoiding an immediate riot.

“But is it really true that the brothers’ father is the mastermind?”

“Hmph, I knew it. A man who abandons his family like that couldn’t be up to any good.”

“Those poor brothers…”

It was normal for people to gather and discuss the story after each new volume was released, but this time, with two volumes’ worth of content, they needed a longer place to talk. People even knocked on the doors of still-closed taverns in broad daylight, demanding to be let in.

“Hey, innkeeper! Open up!!!”

The innkeeper, who had gone to bed just before dawn, rubbed his sleepy eyes and begrudgingly got up. Despite the hassle, he hurried to serve food and drinks, as there was no way he was going to miss out on the business.

“Kimball, that bastard, he’s truly evil.”

“Tell me about it—soldiers, they’re all the same.”

“What? Hey, there are good soldiers too! Just look at Lance Armstrong, the alchemist of Pawan.”

Particularly after the revelations in volume 6 about the truth behind the Western Native War, people’s opinions about the characters involved in the war were deeply divided.

“See! I told you Skull wasn’t just a simple villain!”

“But being a victim doesn’t excuse becoming an aggressor!”

“Wendy Rocks’ parents were the true heroes.”

Through all of this, Rupert unintentionally helped the people of the Empire broaden their perspectives.

People, who previously had only cared about surviving, started discussing these new ideas thanks to The Iron-Blooded Alchemist. And while the discussions were still basic, mostly revolving around the plot, it was clearly an important beginning.

If human history were condensed into 24 hours, the Industrial Revolution would have occurred at 11:58 p.m. In just two minutes, humanity had landed on the moon and began contemplating Mars.

Though it would take time, the seeds had been planted.

“Wendy Rocks is such a strong woman. Just think—her parents were killed, and her childhood friend ended up like that, but she still hasn’t lost her smile! That’s what makes her great.”

“Yeah, but Eagle Eye is equally strong. Did you catch her line in volume 6?”

“That’s a legendary line—‘Burn my back and erase me.’ I declare her the Woman of the Month.”

The aristocracy had many different kinds of social clubs.

Some were simply gatherings of nobles from the same region, while others were made up of alumni from the Academy or graduates from the same department. There were also clubs for those who shared common interests.

Recently, however, a new social club had emerged in the capital city of Chaldea, gaining considerable attention.

Called the Doujin Society, it was difficult to tell what exactly its members were exchanging or discussing from the outside.

“A duel, then. How dare you disrespect my collection?”

“Fine, I accept. How can you call yourself a fan of Wendy when you don’t even have all the limited editions?”

This mysterious Doujin Society was, in reality, nothing more than a group of wealthy manga enthusiasts.

While commoners could gather in taverns or on the streets to discuss manga, nobles, who valued their image, couldn’t afford such freedoms.

Many had suppressed their desires to discuss their favorite stories, but that changed when two young noblemen discovered, by chance, that they were both die-hard fans of The Iron-Blooded Alchemist. Their shared passion led to the creation of the Doujin Society.

To join, one had to own at least one limited-edition volume of The Iron-Blooded Alchemist to prove their devotion to the work.

Additionally, to keep out those with impure motives, the society had an entry test.

“What’s Tucker’s official title as an alchemist?”

“Well, it’s the Chimera Alchemist, right?”

“Wrong. That’s just what people call him. His official title in the series is the Alchemist of Creation.”

“How was I supposed to know that?!”

“Out. You’re not worthy!”

Because of the strict entry requirements, the society remained small, but many nobles were desperate to join.

There were even rumors that the wealthy members of the society would commission famous artisans to create custom artwork and merchandise based on the series’ characters, which they would then share among themselves.

Recently, a new member had applied to join the Doujin Society.

“I see you’ve got an impressive mask.”

“And I can say the same about yours. To recognize this mask so easily… you must have a discerning eye.”

“Recognizing the mask of a royal guard from the Eastern Kingdom of Shin is nothing for a true member of the Doujin Society.”

________________________

“Yustaph, why have you summoned me this late at night? We’re going to be entering the audience chamber together tomorrow anyway.”

The crown prince had personally visited the palace’s guest quarters late at night.

Yustaph had asked him to come discreetly, without any guards or attendants, under the pretext of a night stroll, so the crown prince grumbled slightly as he spoke.

“Your Highness, I apologize for calling you so late, but I have something I must show you.”

“What could possibly be so important…”

At the prince’s question, Yustaph motioned to the door, and in response, the door opened, revealing a small figure cautiously carrying a box inside.