Whirlwind Fire!
A girl with red hair raised her hand into the air, concentrating for a moment, and a ball of flame emerged.
With her eyes closed and her fingers lightly flicking, the girl watched as the fireball moved as if it had a life of its own, crashing into the wall with a bang before disappearing.
The specially designed training area for magic practice was sturdy enough not to react to ordinary shocks, but now it bore a faint scorch mark and a slight dent where the flame had struck.
“Got it!”
The excited voice of Jenia, the red-haired girl, rang out as she accomplished the feat of casting magic without an incantation and controlling it.
While she had previously used primitive magic without an incantation, this time felt entirely different.
Before, her magic had been forced out of her overflowing mana, resulting in very low efficiency.
Although her bloodline had been thinned, being a Draconian, a hybrid of dragon and human, even casting magic once or twice would tire her out.
Her master, Yustaf, had once remarked that it would be like hunting goblins with the legendary weapon, Dragon Slayer, such a waste.
Of course, under Yustaf’s guidance, Jenia had rapidly improved in her magical knowledge and the efficient use of mana, making remarkable strides.
Recently, she had gained great inspiration from a book.
From Iron-Blooded Alchemist, the flame alchemist, Roy Mustang.
He appeared in white gloves, using friction from snapping his fingers to shoot flames like the strongest alchemist.
Watching how Roy manipulated oxygen and hydrogen through the dust in the air to generate flames, Jenia came to a realization.
Her previous magic was, literally, at a primitive level, and even though the magic Yustaf taught her was somewhat advanced, it was still inefficient.
‘It’s not about creating flames; it’s about manipulating the elements that produce flames.’
Creating the flames themselves, regardless of how refined the incantation, was inefficient. However, manipulating the elements that created the flames was much easier and more effective.
‘I need to become stronger!’
Jenia already knew that with her latest discovery, everyone, including her master, would praise and lift her up.
However, that alone wasn’t enough.
– It’s still too early for you to participate in this investigation.
Upon hearing that Rupert Somerset, the author of the fairy tale who saved her, was in danger from dark wizards, Jenia was eager to join the investigation to save him.
But she couldn’t join because of Yustaf’s words; it was still too early for her.
The words that she was still young, still inadequate, and still weak stabbed deeply into her.
‘He saved me, but I can’t help at all…’
The uncle and aunt who bullied and hit her every day. The townsfolk and peers who looked down on her and discriminated against her as an orphan.
There was a time Jenia even fantasized about burning them all.
It was bitterly unfair that she had to suffer and struggle while everyone else lived happy lives.
However, the fairy tales created by Rupert that she accidentally discovered contained stories of protagonists like her, who finally found happiness despite their difficult situations.
Thanks to that, Jenia was able to hold onto hope. She could dream of saving those who had once ignored her and standing proudly in front of them.
Moreover,
‘Surely, the author remembers me.’
Though she had only briefly crossed paths with Count Somerset while following Yustaf, she was certain he remembered her.
When she saw the later fairy tale, A Dog of Flanders, the emotions from that time bubbled up inside her, making her unable to hide her excitement.
Although the protagonist, Nero, was depicted as a boy, he had the same red hair and facial features as her.
‘Did I look like a boy?’
Suddenly realizing that he mistook her for a boy left her a bit disappointed, but she couldn’t hide her joy that a fairy tale had been drawn based on her.
Especially since, after the publication of A Dog of Flanders, people no longer feared those with red hair.
In fact, the children with red hair began to receive unfounded kindness from others.
She was immensely grateful for her master, Yustaf, who accepted her as a disciple and treated her even better than a noble.
But for Jenia, Rupert was special. He was the first person to shine a ray of light into her dark world.
Had it not been for Rupert, she probably wouldn’t have had the chance to meet her master, and no matter how many times she thought about it, the one who brought her happiness was him.
‘This time, I’ll become strong and protect you.’
Remembering Rupert’s pale face from before, she once again steeled her resolve.
*
A woman quietly wiped the inscription in the tomb with a dry cloth.
Behind her stood an elderly man, maintaining a reverent posture.
“Your Highness, did you remember that today is the anniversary of the late empress’ passing?”
“Of course. She was my brothers’ mother and my father’s wife.”
Aiden felt a profound resonance in Princess Ioleen’s words.
Recently, she had occasionally shown a disheveled appearance, but she was fundamentally a kind and noble person.
Recently, Aiden had confiscated the books that the princess had collected. Even though he was the head attendant, such actions could lead to severe punishment if they upset a member of the royal family.
However, Aiden did not receive any punishment. It was something that could happen since the princess, who understood that he acted for his own sake, would not blame anyone for such things.
Moreover, visiting the tomb of a previous empress every year on the anniversary wasn’t an easy thing to do, especially when the connection to the previous empress was minimal.
While watching the princess, who said she had somewhere to go early in the morning, Aiden felt ashamed for suspecting she might be up to something.
“That should be enough; let’s go.”
“By the way, Your Highness, may I ask you one thing?”
“What is it?”
Unable to hold back a sudden curiosity, Aiden questioned the princess.
“Why do you come here to clean when you have no connection with the late empress?”
The reason he could not ask before intrigued Aiden very much.
Taken aback by his unexpected question, the princess regained her composure and answered.
“My father visits this place every year after finishing his work. The eldest brother sometimes confuses the date or forgets and comes here one or two days later.”
This time, it was Aiden who was surprised by the unexpected answer. How did the princess know about such details?
“The second brother always comes here before I do. But he quietly visits without wanting to leave a trace.”
– As she is still loved so dearly, the late empress must have been a wonderful person. So I want her to meet her family in a clean state.
Hearing Ioleen’s words, Aiden fell deep into contemplation.
In Aiden’s memories of serving the imperial family for a long time, the late empress was just as she described.
A kind and gentle soul. Was this why the crown prince had grown twisted? A sudden thought crossed his mind.
The father of the crown prince, the emperor, could hardly be described as warm-hearted, even as a mere formality.
The absence of their warm mother must have loomed large.
The royal tombs were located in a place so secure that even attendants were not allowed to know about it, which meant that managing them was minimal.
Those of the previous emperors, who were chosen among those deemed secure, were cleaned regularly, but the tombs of empresses and other royal family members were often neglected.
To come and clean such a place for the family who would visit later was quite a commendable act.
“Let’s go now, Aiden.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As they headed back to the palace, Aiden thought he needed to return the collection he had previously confiscated from the princess.
His thoughts were short-sighted. Even if she showed a moment of disarray, the person he was serving was the same wise and kind individual.
To not trust such a person was unthinkable. He felt a renewed belief that she wouldn’t be swayed by such trivial matters.
However, he was unaware of what she was actually missing.
‘Today, my father will likely be feeling down. I’ll have to ask him about the key tomorrow.’
Not realizing that she still lacked restraint.
*
In a village somewhere in the empire.
Charles, the second son of an ordinary family, awoke early in the morning.
“Ah! Today is the day Iron-Blooded Alchemist volume 5 is released!”
Charles jumped out of bed and called out to his mother, who was cooking in the kitchen.
“Mom, Iron-Blooded Alchemist volume 5 is coming out today, right?!”
“No, what nonsense are you talking about? Didn’t it say at the end that the release of volume 5 was postponed?”
“That’s a lie!!! It has to come out today! Dad, where are you?”
It undoubtedly was supposed to be the time for volume 5 to be released, but Charles, unable to accept the reality of the postponement, searched for his father.
He thought that the fellow avid reader of Iron-Blooded Alchemist could give him the truth.
But instead…
Bang!
All he saw was his father already collapsed on the floor, holding a hammer in one hand.
“Upon waking… Iron-Blooded Alchemist volume 5 is out…”
Seeing his father mumbling with foam at the mouth, Charles rushed to take the hammer from his father’s hand.
Quietly, but firmly, his mother spoke as she observed the situation.
“Stop acting up and just eat your meal.”
“Yes!”
Both the collapsed father and the hammer-wielding son responded simultaneously, and peace was restored in the household.
Once a person’s threshold rises, it’s tough to lower it again. The citizens of the empire, who had devoured the fascinating story of Iron-Blooded Alchemist, awaited the release of volume 5 as if they were junkies chasing their next fix.
Upon learning that the author was ill and delayed, it became clear how much impact there was when all sorts of goods were sent to Count Somerset.
From ordinary herbs used in folk remedies to rare ingredients and potions that even nobles would seldom see, boxes began arriving.
‘This smells of the royal family!’
Perhaps born from the many crises he had survived? A nearly panicked Rupert exclaimed as soon as he spotted the box, realizing it was of royal origin.
In fact, the box had indeed been sent by the royal family, specifically from the princess. The shocked expression of Jorge, who was disguised as a courier and assigned to protect the princess, was almost comical.
Just then, while everyone was waiting eagerly for the news of the new release.
The Yuren Merchant Association issued a simultaneous public notice across all its branches.
–Vol. 5 and 6 of ‘Iron-Blooded Alchemist’ are scheduled for simultaneous release.
The announcement revealing that volumes 5 and 6 would be released exactly a week later.
The world was set to embrace the era of comic books.
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