The Second Prince of the Empire, William Bel, was known as a womanizer.

However, the truth was that he didn’t particularly enjoy female company. He only acted the part to avoid unwanted attention and controversy.
Now that his elder brother’s position as Crown Prince was secure, William had stopped meeting with women he had no real interest in and focused instead on pursuing his personal hobbies.
“This is quite interesting.”
William wore an amused expression as he read the report handed to him by his shadow guards.
Every member of the royal family had a shadow guard assigned to them, each performing different roles as required.
In William’s case, his shadow guards were often tasked with gathering information, and while they didn’t rival the Imperial Intelligence Agency, they had still provided him with a significant amount of useful intel.
At that moment, William was reading a detailed investigation into the recent movements of the princess and the third prince.
If there was one thing even their father, the Emperor, didn’t know, it was how much William resembled him in this regard.

"Our youngest... Even though your mother is gone now, always follow His Majesty and the Crown Prince closely," his mother’s final words had kept him in line until now.
But William’s true nature was closer to ruthlessness, and in certain aspects, he could be as cold-blooded and efficient as a blade.
He had already discreetly eliminated individuals who posed a threat to the royal family, using information to handle them so smoothly that even the Imperial Intelligence Agency chalked it up to coincidence. Only William and his shadow guards knew the truth.
“A manga contest, huh? Iolin has always done things her own way.”
Iolin, known as the Flower of the Empire, was his younger sister. Contrary to the public’s glowing perception of her, William had always felt there was something dangerous about her.
It wasn’t that she was malicious—no, it was just that she was too pure.
Anything that captured her interest had to be obtained, only for her to quickly lose interest and discard it, much like a child.
But the issue was that Iolin possessed too much talent for a child.
So far, she had shown no ambition for the throne, but William wondered if he could stop her if she ever decided to pursue it.
Recently, he had noticed that Iolin had been using her shadow guards for some secretive purpose, so he discreetly investigated her activities. The result had been surprising.
“So, her first manga, The Kingdom of Ice, was created under her direction as well?”
Had simply reading manga ceased to satisfy her?
While it was shocking to learn that Iolin had entered the contest hosted by Rupert and Yuren Trading Company and won first place, her newfound interest in manga was a positive development.
What worried William more was the third prince.
“He’s been taking etiquette classes and joining clubs with the prince of Silvania... Not to mention Bluewell, the most prominent noble in the Empire.”
William thought of his youngest brother, Edric Bel.
Edric was similar to Iolin but also different. While Iolin was a born genius, Edric was more of a self-made man.
Even in swordsmanship, something Edric was proud of, he hadn’t been particularly skilled when he first started.
But after ten years of daily training, he had reached his current level of mastery, and William knew this better than anyone.
If there was such a thing as a genius who succeeded through hard work, Edric might be that genius, William mused.
“Could this all really be a coincidence?”
A foreign prince, the powerhouse of the North, and the Empire’s most prominent noble all converging around Edric—it was hard to believe it was mere chance.
William suspected the Imperial Intelligence Agency had already begun investigating this situation as well.
“Above all, this man keeps catching my eye.”

Report on Rupert Somerset.
From the very first page, William was struck by the overwhelming information about Rupert Somerset.
“He’s closely connected with the Crown Prince, and apparently, he has ties with the princess as well.”
What shocked William the most was that his father, the Emperor, had offered Rupert the position of chief chamberlain.
His father, more mistrustful than anyone, wouldn’t have made such an offer out of simple gratitude.
“Rupert is also a professor at the academy, where he has a relationship with the third prince, and has long maintained close ties with Duke Bluewell.”
The report detailed Rupert’s extensive connections with not only the Crown Prince but also other influential figures throughout the Empire. Even William found it astonishing.
If Rupert had approached these individuals deliberately, it made him a frighteningly calculating person in William’s eyes.
“I’ll need to meet him in person. Until then, I’ll reserve judgment.”
Even if suspicion was justified, William believed it was necessary to confirm the facts.

“I think revenge as a theme is very strong. But right now, it’s a little too focused on revenge, and it might be too intense for the readers.”
Dumas nodded as he took notes from Rupert’s feedback.
Indeed, his current work felt more like an autobiography than a manga, and that made it slightly awkward as a piece of fiction.
“Of course, the realism and emotional intensity are significant strengths. So, let’s keep that while making some adjustments...”
As Rupert continued to offer feedback on Dumas’s work, the other club members were too focused on their own projects to pay attention.
With the serialization deadline only a month away, there was no time to worry about anyone else.
“If even one work fails to meet the standard, the entire magazine will be canceled.”
Rupert had emphasized that maintaining consistent quality and pace was essential for a successful serialization.
Both Saint and Sena, along with the new recruits Ismael and Dumas, had spent every waking moment hunched over their desks, pen in hand.
‘This feedback should be enough. Any more would be too much.’
Having finished his feedback on Dumas’s work, Rupert decided to step back.
He had given all the guidance needed to improve, and if he interfered any further, it would become his work instead of theirs.
That would defeat the purpose of selecting them in the first place.
While it was important for Rupert, as an editor, to help produce great works, it was equally important to preserve the authors’ unique voices.
‘Now, I need to get started on my own work.’
Rupert already had the first three chapters of his new manga, Van Helsing, completed, so he had some breathing room.
He decided to take this opportunity to work on a new storybook, something he hadn’t done since finishing The Alchemist of Steel.
There was no specific reason for this decision other than the fact that it had been a while since he’d released anything after The Alchemist of Steel had concluded.
And with the manga magazine serialization about to start, he figured he wouldn’t have time to work on storybooks for a while.
But the real reason, of course, was...
“Let go of Ada, you wicked Oon!”
Rupert had recently witnessed a comedic skit between Ada and Oon that left a lasting impression on him.
With Ada becoming unexpectedly quick and strong, Oon had resorted to various tactics and strategies to keep up with her.
Since Ada often escaped by riding Rush, Oon had devised a plan to counter her mobility.
“This is a premium white-haired calf’s tenderloin.”
“Ruff!”
Rupert had been impressed by Oon’s cunning as he used expensive meat to bribe Rush into abandoning Ada.
When he saw Rush slyly turn away from Ada’s calls and pretend not to notice her, Rupert had even wondered if Rush was secretly human.
Still, even with Rush’s betrayal, Ada wasn’t easy to catch.
Her small, nimble body darted around, reminding Rupert of a ninja in a comic.
But Oon wasn’t one to be outwitted. He’d somehow acquired sweets and cookies from the capital’s famous confectionery and scattered them around the estate.
“Nooo!!!”
Rupert had been thoroughly entertained as Ada, lured by the candy and cookies, had been captured, making it one of the most memorable scenes he’d witnessed lately.
‘The next storybook will be Hansel and Gretel.’
One of Rupert’s childhood favorites, Hansel and Gretel, had always intrigued him, particularly the part where they scattered breadcrumbs to find their way back.
The fantasy of a house made of candy and cookies had also left a strong impression.
Rupert figured that showing this story to Ada, who had been so easily tempted by candy, might cure her of her obsession with sweets.
But there was more to it than that.
In this medieval world, far too many parents abandoned their children.
The situation in this world closely mirrored that of Germany at the time Hansel and Gretel had been written.
After the Thirty Years' War, starvation had become so severe that many parents had resorted to abandoning their children.
This gave the fairy tale a bittersweet, if not downright tragic, undertone for Rupert.
Just as abandoned children often clung to something, as Rupert had once clung to manga, he feared many children here would face similar fates.
Of course, the story was still a thrilling one about defeating an evil witch, perfect for children.
But as Rupert knew that many adults also read his storybooks, he hoped they would reconsider giving up on their children after reading this tale.
After all, the world was filled with dangers far worse than witches for children left to fend for themselves.

___________

Are you saying you want to go with this script?”

Club activities were typically held freely after classes during the weekdays.
However, given the limited time the manga club had, they often gathered on weekends as well.
Today, the members who had gathered wore serious expressions.
The reason was none other than the new script Adrian had brought.
“I know it’s a rude request to suggest scrapping all the work we’ve done so far, but…”
Adrian, who was usually composed and easygoing, now looked unusually tense. His expression caused everyone to focus on his next words.
“This is more fun.”
His statement was simple.
He was boldly claiming that his newly written script was more entertaining.
But if they were to start fresh with this, it meant scrapping all their previous work and beginning from the ground up, which made everyone uneasy.
‘Was this too much to ask?’
Adrian understood their hesitation.
To suggest starting over now was, in many ways, a selfish desire, and he knew it.
“This is more fun. I want to go with this.”
But it was the third prince, Edric, who was the first to speak after reading the new script they’d been handed.
“I also think this new story suits an animation better than the original.”
Amelia agreed, voicing her support as well.
Thanks to their reactions, the other members, who had been looking bewildered, began reading the script in their hands.
Adrian’s new story was simple but captivating.
It followed an old horse abandoned by a knight, who goes on a journey and meets a dog, a cat, and a rooster, all of whom have been similarly discarded. Together, they embark on an adventure to a city that promises a place for animals to form an orchestra.
There was a touching sadness when the animals met, but the story became much more exhilarating as they teamed up to defeat the villains, adding a dynamic and dramatic flair.
“What did you decide to name it?”
The club members, energized by the whimsical yet engaging story that perfectly suited the 10-minute animation they were creating, couldn’t help but feel excited.
While their previous project had been good, everyone felt this was the ideal story for an animation.
“I’ve titled it The Silvania Orchestra.”
And thus, the manga club’s first animated project was decided.