This year’s Empire Academy draws a lot of interest due to its sensational stories.
Every year, the Academy’s admission period is lively with discussions about the new students.
However, this year’s incoming new students’ impressive lineup has attracted even more attention.
The most famous figure among them is Edric Bell, the third prince of the Empire, hailed as the best student taught by the Sword Saint.
There were even rumors that he would be a strong candidate for the crown prince instead of the current one.
He’s undoubtedly the standout among the freshmen.
Of course, with the crown prince’s growing popularity and influence, those rumors have subsided.
Next on the list of famous individuals is Amelia Bluewell, the heir of the Empire’s top noble family, House of Duke Bluewell.
Reported to have exceptional talent in magic, she’s another figure who garnered significant interest, second only to the crown prince.
Additionally, the heir from the northern border count, Count Prious, also enrolling, became a hot topic.
The second prince of the Kingdom of Sylvania, a nation that had a war with us not long ago, also decided to enroll, stirring tales of intrigue.
Even though the war ended, the animosity between the two nations ran deep, especially since the Kingdom of Sylvania suffered heavily from the preemptive strike and likely harbored no fond feelings towards the Empire.
Sending a prince, who is high in the order of succession, under the pretense of studying abroad, seemed suspicious.
Some claimed it was part of a hostage agreement from the war’s peace terms, while others speculated that the first prince sent his brother into political exile.
With such a flamboyant batch of new students, people frequently speculated it might be the best class the Academy ever had.
“Have you heard about the Academy’s Art Department?”
“Oh, that rumor?”
But the interest was not solely toward the new students.
The faculty of the Empire Academy, famous for gathering the best talents in each field, also drew substantial attention.
Starting with the legendary mage Yustaf Heindel as the principal, it was common knowledge that every member of the faculty was an expert in their respective field in the Empire.
Yet among the Academy’s faculty, one individual particularly drew interest.
It was none other than Rupert Somerset, the newly appointed professor in the Art Department.
“He’s the new art professor? Seriously?”
“Watch your tongue. Regardless, he’s a professor now, and careless words could get you into trouble.”
“What? A professor younger than me?”
At 17, it’s the typical age to enter the Academy as a freshman.
Thus, the news of appointing such a young individual as a professor instead of a student was beyond shocking.
Predictably, not everyone was without doubts or complaints about such a radical appointment, but with the recommendation from Yustaf, the endorsement from the crown prince, and the approval by the emperor, nobody dared to outright challenge it.
Meanwhile, Rupert, the subject of all this buzz, merely sat quietly at the edge of the auditorium stage, observing the entrance ceremony.
Principal Yustaf was welcoming the new students, introducing the Academy, which the freshmen listened to with bright eyes, while the returning students looked somewhat bored.
Being Empire’s talents, openly distracted students were none to be seen, though a few were nodding off.
To the new students, Yustaf might appear as a legendary mage straight out of a novel, but to the returning students, he was merely a bearded old man now.
“Now, it’s time to introduce the professors who will be teaching you this year.”
With Yustaf’s words, the professors from the Department of Military Studies began to step out one by one to introduce themselves briefly.
And when it was finally the turn of the Art Department, even the mildly clapping students changed their demeanor.
It was time for Rupert Somerset, the new art professor who was the center of all the buzz.
Even the disinterested returning students sat up straight, waiting to see that famous face with some curiosity.
Finally, Rupert Somerset slowly walked out as his turn approached.
Knowing full well that he was the center of attention, his lack of expression or change in demeanor, even appearing drowsy, caused a slight murmur.
‘Tsk, that young lad must be only lucky.’
‘Does receiving the royal favor mean having no sense of respect?’
‘Just an heir from a so-so family yet so haughty.’
Truth be told, Rupert Somerset’s hiring process itself was quite controversial. Or more so, hard for many to accept.
Although he recently became known for his fairy tales and comic books, being a professor the same age as freshmen was challenging to accept.
For the students, who prided themselves on their abilities and talents as proof of being choicest in the Empire, being taught by someone younger than themselves was a significant blow to their pride.
Especially harder for the Art Department’s students who had to learn directly from him compared to other departments who didn’t have direct connections.
As everyone glanced at him with disdain, Rupert, finally standing in the center of the stage, started to speak.
“I have a dream.”
The unexpected commencement made people focus, wondering what he meant.
“People still don’t understand paintings. They ask why paintings are necessary when we have photographs.”
Both students and faculty nodded in agreement. After all, no painting could match the precision of a photograph.
“A painting is a technicolor photograph created by countless irrational imaginations.”
“Learning to draw is akin to learning to see objects accurately. It holds a meaning beyond what’s simply visible.”
Rupert continued with certainty in his expressions, holding an inherent charisma that drew in listeners involuntarily.
Now, murmurs faded among students as they awaited his next words eagerly.
“I have a dream. To create a moment where everyone on the continent unites over comics I draw, beyond just paintings.”
Rupert’s words seemed absurd at first glance.
But he paused briefly before continuing.
“I have a dream. That drawing is not only about fairy tales or comics but also about creating various things for people in different ways.”
Rupert’s speech continued seamlessly.
“I have a dream. That sometime soon, all these creations can be made with the students of Empire Academy who are here.”
As Rupert finished speaking, people snapped out of their trance-like focus only then, realizing they had been intensely captivated.
“I can promise one thing. Those who take the upcoming art department courses will be given a new experience unlike any they’ve had before.”
What possibly could exist beyond comics that could unite people across the continent? And what is this new experience they never had before?
These identical curiosities arose in the minds of the audience gathered in the auditorium.
“That’s all. I’ll discuss the rest during the lectures.”
Rupert, with no intention of revealing more, rounded off his introduction and returned to his seat.
Following that, the remaining professors introduced themselves, but their introductions were so overshadowed by Rupert’s impactful first impression that they barely left any memory as the entrance ceremony came to an end.
*
“Splendid, sir. You would have surely excelled if you pursued a career in trading.”
“Well, got to give it a shot. The more grabbed by it, the better.”
Inside Rupert’s office, set up within the Academy.
Thanks to Yustaf’s consideration, it was fairly spacious and well-located for a new professor.
Rupert, who single-handedly turned the entrance ceremony into his stage, was leisurely having tea with Esteban, the Merchant Guild Master, discussing what else but the self-introduction during the ceremony.
Having prepared a dazzling introduction using memorable quotes from Earth that had stayed with him, Rupert expected a decent reaction.
But the response was more than anticipated.
As soon as the ceremony concluded, even Yustaf summoned Rupert to his principal office for tea, praising his memorable introduction.
“Certainly, relying solely on major lectures can’t procure the talents we need, so we must gather as many students as possible from common liberal arts.”
Rupert and Esteban weren’t causing such a stir merely for attention.
Everything was just groundwork laid for the animation business.
Rupert was tasked with giving two types of lectures: Art Department major lectures and Common Liberal Arts lectures.
The major lectures being mandatory for all Art Department students were out of the question.
As for the Common Liberal Arts, where students from other departments could join, Rupert had to attract students by any means.
The ‘Understanding of Art’ course, led by Rupert, unlike typically popular liberal arts courses, was one even the Art Department students avoided.
If this kept up, one of the Academy’s main goals, securing talent, could risk turning to waste.
Considering the heavy doubts and criticisms regarding Rupert’s capability as a professor, it was apparent that it would be challenging to gather students for his liberal arts class.
Thus, a memorable self-introduction at the entrance ceremony was necessary.
Except for major lectures, students had the freedom to explore various liberal arts for a week post-ceremony.
Now, all they could do was hope that Rupert’s bold introduction would draw many students to attend.
“The projector you mentioned has begun research at the Mage Tower.”
“Oh, really? So, there’s a possibility?”
Though securing talent was undoubtedly crucial, technological support was also essential for advancing the animation business.
One of the indispensable items was the ‘Projector.’
As a device to project images on a screen, modern projectors came in various forms, but Rupert aimed to craft a film-based projector.
A classic projector that reproduced images by shining light through a film and utilizing a shutter.
Although it fell short of modern reproducing devices, it was sufficient for screening animation.
‘Who could have thought studying this back in college would come in handy.’
During his university days, Rupert often lamented learning about direction and technical details, not knowing why as he was neither a director nor an engineer.
Once again, he reaffirmed that learning could be useful someday, albeit never imagining it would be in another world.
“The film is being developed jointly with artisans by Kroon, but it seems more complicated than expected.”
“Even after hearing your explanation, I’m still puzzled over what kind of item this is.”
Many hurdles remained, honestly.
Even Rupert wasn’t familiar with all modern knowledge, only presenting rough models without explaining their principles.
The film being a representative example.
Creating celluloid involved mixing nitrocellulose, a chemical substance, with a material extracted from a peculiar tree called camphor.
Coating it with silver for sensitivity and covering it with gelatin eventually completed the film.
The mere fact Rupert remembered this much seemed miraculous, but unfortunately, he lacked knowledge about how to create those materials, leaving Kroon and the artisans laboring relentlessly.
The chemical elements particularly posed difficulty for them, prompting them to seek support from the Alchemy Guild.
Though progress was steadily made, numerous obstacles remained unimproved, prompting Rupert to quietly wait with a calm heart.
In any case, without personnel, the plan seemed implausible, so there was no need to rush.
“By the way, have you already started on the storyboards for volumes 9 and 10?”
“Yes, once the term begins in earnest, there will be no leisure, so I’m trying to complete as much as possible before then.”
“It’s a pity that ‘The Iron-Blooded Alchemist’ is concluding. As one of its avid readers, I’m feeling quite disappointed, and I can’t even imagine how others will react.”
“Don’t worry. Once you see the next project, you won’t have time for such thoughts.”
With Rupert’s confident assurance, Esteban couldn’t help but feel excited.
Even with , the content and composition were impressively crafted to the finest degree.
What sort of work could Rupert have in mind for the sequel to be this self-assured, Esteban couldn’t help but wonder.
While Rupert made no mention of the next project, telling Esteban merely to prepare to expand the merchandise factory and stores.
Although half in disbelief, Esteban followed his words, preparing the craftsmen and store lands as Rupert suggested.
TN: At the beginning of the chapters, the name of the kingdom at war with the Empire is Silberia (실베리아), and the continent they’re currently on is Sylvania (실바니아).
However, in some chapters, it is also mentioned that the neighboring kingdom is Sylvania (실바니아) the same name as continent, and in this chapter, it is clarified that the kingdom at war with the Empire is actually Sylvania (실바니아).
So you can assume that the author made a typo, writing Sylvania as Silberia.
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