The Fables of Rupert was a work distinct from conventional fairy tales.

While traditional children’s stories prioritized entertainment over morals, Fables of Rupert focused on delivering life lessons. Using animals as narrators evoked similarities to Aesop’s Fables, but Rupert mixed Western storytelling with Eastern folktales to create a hybrid educational tale.

He aimed to replicate his own childhood experience: learning important lessons through simple fairy tales or comics rather than dense literature.

‘I remember how reading The Tale of the Green Frog made me behave for a while,’ Rupert thought.

Ada, at first, grumbled about Fables of Rupert, complaining that it lacked a pretty protagonist. However, as she read on, she became absorbed, particularly when the story reached the misbehaving green frog.

"Idiot! Mom asked for the riverside because she knew you wouldn’t listen!" she yelled at the book in frustration. By the time she reached the ending, Ada was in tears, calling the green frog a fool as she clung to Rupert, sobbing.

Seizing the opportunity, Rupert gently added a lesson.

"Ada, if you don’t listen to your brother, you might regret it later, just like the green frog."

"Would you die too, brother?" Ada asked, her eyes wide with fear as she thumped Rupert’s chest and burst into fresh tears.

Rupert barely escaped her emotional onslaught, but he pressed on.

"If you keep misbehaving, even Mother in heaven might feel sad."

"I don’t want that! I’ll be good!" Ada cried out.

From that day on, Ada significantly reduced her snack raids and brawling escapades with the local children. Instead, she began to learn etiquette and social manners—skills essential for a noble lady.

• "So, the young miss is inquisitive about academics and asks insightful questions…."

Rupert had hired renowned tutors from the imperial capital to teach Ada, but it quickly became evident that Ada wasn’t naturally inclined toward academics.

‘This family doesn’t really have a knack for studying,’ Rupert mused.

His older brother Richard was a Swordmaster, a testament to his innate talent for swordsmanship. Rupert himself excelled in the arts, particularly painting. It seemed plausible that Ada, too, might be more suited to pursuits other than scholarly endeavors.

"Ada, with great power comes—?"

"Great responsibility!"

"Good job!"

In truth, Rupert didn’t expect Ada to become a refined and demure noble lady. He simply wanted her to acquire the basic knowledge and manners necessary to navigate her future without trouble. With their family’s status stabilized and wealth continuously accumulating, Rupert was prepared to support whatever path Ada chose for herself.

"Young master, a letter has arrived from the trading company," Alain announced, handing over the message.

"Thanks, Alain," Rupert replied, taking the letter.

Normally, Esteban would have delivered updates in person, but the explosive success of The King of Cards merchandise had kept him swamped with work. Recently, he’d taken to sending Rupert letters for important matters.

• "The demonstration date has been set. It will take place next Wednesday evening."

"So, everything’s already prepared?"

The letter reminded Rupert of a project he’d nearly forgotten amidst the card game’s booming popularity.

"Ada, how about we go see something fun next week?"

"Something fun?"

"Yes, let’s go see Elsa!"

Rupert smiled, feeling that the upcoming event would be a perfect reward for Ada, who had been diligently enduring the monotony of etiquette and social lessons.

The premiere of their first animated feature was just around the corner.

"Adrian, you really don’t understand."

"And you, Edric! How can you think this plot makes any sense?"

At the academy, the second semester was underway, and students had settled into their routines. While some caught up on studies and others pursued romantic endeavors, members of the manga club were busy in their own unique way.

"When drawing animals, it wasn’t as noticeable, but even one poorly drawn frame with human characters can ruin the whole composition."

"Music is the same. I listened to the theme Wolfgang composed at the professor’s manor the other day—it’s on a completely different level."

"If only we could use the magical pen Lady Amelia made, we’d finish so much faster."

At Rupert’s suggestion, the manga club had begun preparing a project for the second semester’s closing ceremony as soon as school resumed. During the break, they had grown restless, eager to create again, inspired by the overwhelming applause their last work received during the first semester’s closing ceremony.

This time, they aimed for a longer and more refined production. However, constant arguments between Edric and Adrian, tasked with writing the story, slowed progress.

"How does it make sense for a woman to fall in love with a man just because they bumped into each other?"

"That’s what love is!"

Edric and Adrian clashed nearly every day.

"A story isn’t just about randomness! It’s about gradually building tension and delivering a climax at the right moment!"

"In a short production like this, we don’t have time for intricate setups. We need to dive straight into the main plot!"

Their heated debates often culminated in duels—card game duels, to be precise.

"Only the Puppet Theater’s storytelling club could be this dramatic," Adrian grumbled as Edric smirked.

"Fine, let’s settle this with a duel!"

"Why not? Let the cards decide!"

The two pulled cards from their jacket pockets with practiced ease, clearly not their first time resolving disputes this way.

"Would someone flip the coin?" Edric asked.

Kyle, another club member assisting nearby, sighed but complied, pulling out a coin.

"Edric, this is turning into a card game club, not a manga club."

Despite his complaints, Kyle flipped the coin.

"Heads," Edric called.

"Tails," Adrian countered.

The coin landed, and Kyle revealed the result. "Edric, you go first."

"Damn it…" Adrian muttered.

His deck, based on the Netherworld, relied on taking the first turn to lay down traps and spells. Yet, against Edric, Adrian always seemed to lose the coin toss.

"What kind of luck does he have?" Adrian thought, annoyed.

Adrian approached card games as a strategic battle, akin to a war in miniature, carefully calculating each move and adjusting his strategy based on probabilities.

Edric, on the other hand, was a textbook beginner. His deck was a chaotic mix of high-cost, hard-to-summon monster cards with little regard for practicality—a gamble deck reliant on sheer luck.

Yet, somehow, Edric’s luck never failed him.

"Yes! I drew the card I needed!" Edric exclaimed, triumphantly playing the Phantom Demon, a near-impossible card to summon but guaranteeing victory once in play.

"This makes no sense!" Adrian groaned.

"It makes perfect sense!" Edric countered, striking a triumphant pose.

Though frustrated, Adrian could do nothing but accept the result. A duel was sacred.

Both Adrian and Edric had been tasked by Rupert to collaborate on the story for their project.

"Edric has fantastic creativity and an eye for intriguing concepts but struggles with structure," Rupert had said.

"And Adrian excels at crafting solid narrative structures but needs to work on creating engaging developments."

Both had been eager to take on the role, and Rupert believed their combined talents would yield an exceptional story.

Yet their differing styles caused frequent clashes, leaving their fellow club members exasperated.

"Lady Amelia, they’re at it again. Can’t you…?"

The club’s only hope for peace was Amelia, whose noble status matched theirs and who often acted as a mediator.

"It’s fine," Amelia said, distracted. "Think of it as a healthy debate for a better story."

Lately, however, Amelia seemed preoccupied, leaving the club members helpless.

‘This is definitely just an excuse for them to date!’ they thought.

Meanwhile, Amelia’s mind was elsewhere, fixated on Rupert’s recent invitation.

"Lady Amelia, are you free next Wednesday evening?"

After her etiquette class, Rupert had approached her and invited her to the theater’s upcoming demonstration.

"Should I wear the dress he gave me for my birthday? Or is it too flashy?" she pondered, eagerly awaiting Wednesday, which couldn’t come fast enough.