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.”

Becoming the Crown Prince’s chief attendant would have undoubtedly guaranteed a life of ease in this world.

The Crown Prince’s position, once unstable, had now solidified, and the Crown Prince clearly trusted Rupert.

However, Rupert chose his family.

‘I can’t abandon those who haven’t abandoned me.’

The Emperor seemed surprised, not having expected Rupert to decline his offer.

The Crown Prince, too, looked disappointed, as though he couldn’t understand why Rupert would refuse such a golden opportunity.

On the other hand, Yustaf, standing beside the Crown Prince, had a different expression on his face.

After the banquet, Rupert finally returned to the estate, only to be greeted by Ada’s fierce welcome.

“Ada wants to go to the ‘Hwanggul’ too!”

“It’s not ‘Hwanggul,’ it’s ‘Hwanggung’—the Imperial Palace.”

Ada, not quite understanding what the Imperial Palace was, thought her brother had gone off to a fun place without her.

As Rupert tried to embrace the adorable Ada, who had clearly been waiting eagerly for him, she darted away.

“No! Ada is mad!”

She skillfully dodged Rupert’s arms, jumped onto Rashu, and quickly disappeared somewhere inside the estate.

“How can a dog run that fast?”

Rupert marveled at how swift Rashu moved, even with Ada on his back.

Rashu had already proven his worth by saving Ada during the dark wizard’s attack, and Rupert felt the urge to reward the dog.

‘I wonder what dogs like?’

Rupert briefly considered preparing a special treat like fresh beef or pork for Rashu, before deciding to inform his father, Count Bradley, of his return. Afterward, he headed straight to his studio.

Though he felt like resting, the unexpected trip to the capital had delayed his schedule, and he needed to work diligently to release volumes 7 and 8 simultaneously.

Of course, he wouldn’t overwork himself like before.

Sitting at his desk, Rupert pulled out the manuscript and began drawing.

“I had hoped to finish in volume 7, but it’s not looking likely.”

Now that he was drawing manga rather than webtoons, it was difficult for Rupert to estimate the length of each volume.

When he had initially planned The Iron-Blooded Alchemist, he thought it would be finished in 7 volumes, but now it seemed like it would take at least 10 to wrap up the story properly.

At least with his current pace, the end was in sight, and he could start thinking about his next project.

‘I’ll make sure there are no misunderstandings in the next work.’

Throughout the serialization of his current work, Rupert had faced one misunderstanding after another, narrowly avoiding major crises.

For his next project, he planned to avoid commonly misunderstood themes and tackle a completely new setting.

Perhaps a story set in the mysterious Eastern continent, or one featuring non-human races like elves. With elves as the main characters, it could avoid much of the confusion he had encountered before.

Few people knew much about the Eastern continent, aside from merchants who traveled there to import tea. Most common folk barely knew of its existence.

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.