Now that Rupert, after meeting with the goddess, had the freedom to pursue his true desires, he set a new goal for himself.

‘I’m going to advance this world’s culture to its highest stages.’

What Rupert aimed to do was to open the floodgates of innovation in this other world. By introducing concepts and inventions that didn’t yet exist, he hoped to inspire a wave of works that would follow in his wake. Having witnessed firsthand how trailblazers could transform entire industries on Earth, he was confident this approach would work here too.

Take, for example, how Apple’s launch of the smartphone led to an explosion of similar devices worldwide. The few that survived eventually shaped the modern smartphone landscape, while Apple, as the pioneer, became one of the world’s leading companies.

Rupert, too, wanted to become a cultural pioneer in this other world.

‘It’s not an impossible dream.’

One of the ideas that came up in a conversation with Esteban, the head merchant, was “Somerset Land.” The concept was to build a massive amusement park based on Rupert’s storybooks and manga, making it an iconic landmark of the empire.

Even though rides like roller coasters and drop towers might be out of reach, simpler attractions such as a carousel, a Ferris wheel, or even a haunted house were feasible. However, back then, they dismissed the idea, doubting whether enough people would travel to Somerset to keep such an attraction running, given the high capital required.

But watching the ever-growing popularity of his storybooks, manga, and Somerset-branded goods, Rupert was now convinced the plan could succeed.

"Time to make some money. This time, I’ll squeeze it out of everyone equally!"

Of course, a project like this required massive funding, so he needed a solid financial base to get started.

Enter The King of Cards.

"Once a TCG (Trading Card Game) becomes successful, it’s a lucrative and stable source of income," Rupert mused.

His next manga, The King of Cards, was based on Earth’s popular trading card games. On Earth, the most successful examples, like PoXmon and YuX-Oh, were notable for being based on original series that served as the foundation for their card games.

The key to a card game’s success lay in the appeal of the cards themselves, which was inherently tied to the source material. If fans could get their hands on the cards they’d seen in the manga, they’d want to collect them, driving the game’s popularity in a cycle.

‘So, I’ll need to work out the game’s settings thoroughly from the planning stage.’

However, he knew that a card game wouldn’t succeed just by releasing cards based on the manga.

‘There was that one original where you could win by destroying the moon or waiting for machinery to rust over time. Ridiculous!’

In fact, looking at the biggest hits among card game originals, many hadn’t initially considered game mechanics. Often, they made a manga popular and then created a card game to match, resulting in cases where the story’s logic bent over backward for the game mechanics.

Rupert had no intention of repeating this. He planned to create a manga with well-balanced game mechanics from the start.

‘No zero-cost spell cards that let you draw three cards, choose two, and discard the third.’

With White Wasteland needing two more weeks to conclude, Rupert planned to meticulously finalize the rules and settings by then. After the manga launched, he’d start selling the cards at the merchandise shop, and a factory to produce the cards was already in the works.

‘Oh, and the animated theater adaptation is also in production.’

With so many irons in the fire, Rupert could only smile, knowing that once everything took off, his hard work would finally pay off.

“The line’s even longer than last time.”

“Well, another incident just like in the manga happened again, didn’t it?”

“True. It’s shocking what happened in Sleepy Barony.”

It was Manafia’s release day.

Though lines at branches of the Yuren Trading Company were always long, today, they stretched further than ever.

"They say this manga was inspired by a goddess’s revelation!"

"And to think vampires like these actually exist…."

“Have you heard about Viscount Sleepy? Rumor has it he’s a hidden master who cut down dozens of vampires in one strike….”

The recent rumors, verified by both the imperial court and the church, had been confirmed as true. The public learned that creatures tainted by dark magic, the creatures of the night, had plotted to plunge the empire into chaos. Viscount Sleepy, however, courageously defended his people against them, supported by the newly titled Marquess Somerset.

The empire was abuzz with news of the incident, especially the story of Sleepy Barony, which had been devastated in the process.

While people initially didn’t understand what the creatures of the night were, they quickly connected the dots when it was revealed that they were similar to the vampires in Rupert’s Van Helsing.

“Didn’t they say the Abyssal Cult incident was just like the alchemical circle in The Iron-Blooded Alchemist?”

With the uncanny resemblance between real-life events and Rupert’s works raising questions, an official announcement sealed the matter.

"Sir Rupert Somerset is a hero blessed by the Mother Goddess, who saved the empire from disaster."

The declaration, made by the Saintess herself, solidified the public’s fascination.

‘I have to read it!’

‘They should make Van Helsing required reading, available in every library and bookstore!’

‘We must get the latest issue of Manafia! Van Helsing is practically a prophecy!’

This frenzy had drawn both nobles and commoners alike to line up eagerly for Manafia’s release, causing the queues to reach unprecedented lengths.

"I’m buying every issue of Manafia, from the first to the latest! I’ll pay ten times the cover price!"

“Are you kidding me? Only ten times? Even selling to a bookstore would fetch twenty times that price—what a scam!”

This latest frenzy also caused Rupert’s works, especially Van Helsing, to skyrocket in price, now seen almost as sacred relics carrying the goddess’s message.

Not everyone in line was looking to profit, though.

"I love war."

A gruesome scene of carnage where the corpses of Van Helsing’s lesser enemies lay in pools of blood, dismembered beyond recognition.

Standing amidst the bloody chaos, a man spoke in a low voice.

"I find war… utterly delightful."

Each step he took splashed the blood on the ground, the sound following his words like an eerie soundtrack.

"I love skirmishes, battles of attrition, full-scale wars, and blitzkrieg alike!"

"In forests! On plains! In snowy mountains! In deserts! Any place where there’s blood and enemies, I love war!"

His rapid-fire words and the glint in his eyes conveyed a twisted thrill.

“Do you want war?”

“War! War!! WAR!!!”

"Yes, that’s it! We who have waited centuries need nothing but a grand war."

In response to his voice, hundreds of eyes lit up in the darkness, cheering.

"We, a thousand vampires, will turn this continent into a sea of flames!"

Gulp.

“This guy’s insane.”

“I agree. How does the artist convey this much madness through just an illustration?”

“He’s definitely Van Helsing’s final boss!”

This week’s issue introduced the long-awaited adversary for the secret organization Van Helsing, and readers were transfixed. While previous villains had been memorable, Dracula’s introduction captivated everyone.

As sinister as he was, Dracula exuded an irresistible allure that left readers buzzing with excitement, flooding conversations with speculations about his role as the ultimate enemy.

“Come to think of it, White Wasteland is ending next week, isn’t it?”

“Given that this week’s issue showed Moby Dick meeting his end, there’s not much left to cover.”

“Oh, look at this!”

After finishing Van Helsing, readers turned to White Wasteland. Over the past weeks, the story had rapidly advanced, culminating in the long-awaited showdown between the protagonist and Moby Dick, the white whale that had taken his father’s life.

Seeing the magnificent conclusion as the protagonist and his allies finally defeated Moby Dick, readers marveled at the story’s satisfying wrap-up.

The implication was clear: with Moby Dick vanquished, the series itself was reaching its finale.

Then, at the last page of the issue, one sentence caught everyone’s attention.

"White Wasteland’s grand finale next week, followed by the debut of The King of Cards!"