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“Nice to meet you. I am Amelia Bluewell, the eldest daughter of the Bluewell family.”

Among the guests invited to today’s demonstration, there were only five women.

Of those, two were members of the Comic Club, and they had avoided disaster by sitting at a distance after checking the list of the other women early on.

Now, at the front table where the women gathered, only Ioleen, Amelia, and Jenia remained.

As they faced each other and confirmed their presence, a slight silence filled the air until Amelia took the initiative to greet Ioleen first.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I suppose an introduction isn’t necessary?”

“Yes, Your Highness the Princess.”

As Ioleen and Amelia exchanged greetings, Jenia, who had finally come to her senses, hurriedly introduced herself in an awkward situation.

‘Your Highness the Princess…’

Jenia suddenly realized how remarkable it was to be in the company of such esteemed individuals.

Ioleen, known as the flower of the Empire, and Amelia, the heiress of the greatest noble family in the Empire.

They were people of status that she could not compare herself with, so she couldn’t help but feel a bit intimidated.

‘How does Your Highness the Princess know Lord Rupert?’

Amelia was equally flustered.

She had been at ease, considering Rupert to be a man with no rumors of meetings with women, but learning that both the princess and Jenia were invited to this gathering somehow made her anxious.

“Do you also like Lord Rupert?”

“Pardon?”

“I do like him.”

Jenia couldn’t hide her stiff expression at the sudden bombshell declaration from Princess Ioleen.

“That is…”

“I like his character and abilities as well.”

Ioleen continued speaking calmly, full of confidence, leaving both Amelia and Jenia unable to oppose her and only able to watch.

“And I am confident that I understand his work better than anyone else. Most importantly, if he comes to my side, there won’t be another tragedy like the last Agora.”

As Ioleen explained why she was the best match for Rupert, her words struck true, forcing Jenia to remain silent.

‘If the princess is by his side, those who would try to defame Lord Rupert will surely back off…’

Jenia tried to think of what she could offer Rupert.

Having become a respected student under Yustaf, she was in a far better position than before, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of hopelessness regarding what she could truly give to Rupert.

“Excuse me for a moment, Your Highness the Princess.”

“Go ahead.”

However, Amelia was not daunted by such a near declaration of war from the princess.

“I do not deny that there are things Your Highness can offer to Lord Rupert.”

“And?”

“However, it’s a plain fact that Lord Rupert’s activities will also be shackled.”

For the first time, Ioleen’s normally calm expression twisted at Amelia’s words.

“Of course, the Crown Prince and Lord Rupert are close, but the moment Your Highness is connected to him, regardless of your relationship, Lord Rupert will have to exercise caution in his activities.”

Amelia’s points were ones that even Ioleen couldn’t refute.

Among those of the same bloodline, not all could share fraternity without restraint; that was the nature of the Imperial Family.

If she were to marry Rupert, she could potentially raise objections to the free release of his works, or depending on the content, he might even be suspected.

In fact, Rupert’s works contained many radical elements by Imperial standards, causing no small amount of discontent among some.

In such circumstances, it was only natural that scandal would arise once entangled with the royal family.

“On the other hand, my family, Bluewell, may not hold a candle to the royal family, but we can be a reliable supporter.”

“But wouldn’t Lord Rupert become an integral part of Bluewell?”

This time, Ioleen countered Amelia’s statement.

She was pointing out the reality that upon marrying the heir of Duke Bluewell, Rupert would inevitably become a son-in-law to Bluewell.

“No. I will be a member of Somerset.”

“What?”

At Amelia’s assertive statement, both Ioleen and Jenia could only be taken aback.

To forsake the heirship of Bluewell to become part of Somerset was, to exaggerate, akin to the Crown Prince stepping down from his position—an understandable shock.

“Does the Duke know of your intentions?”

“Yes.”

Amelia’s answer was unwavering.

Since her last meeting with Rupert, after firmly deciding whether she could give up everything to choose him, she had her mind made up.

While Amelia and Ioleen expressed their feelings without holding back, Jenia was in a frenzy of contemplation.

‘What are my strengths?’

Unlike Ioleen or Amelia, she had no family that could protect Rupert, and she couldn’t match them in fame or fortune either.

The only thing she could boast about was magic, but that wouldn’t be of substantial help to Rupert.

“Um… I…”

Finally, after much deliberation about her strengths, when Jenia finally opened her mouth, she drew the sharp gazes of Ioleen and Amelia, who were eyeing each other intently.

“I have big breasts!”

With that unexpected outburst, both were left speechless.

“This is a significant advantage… I’ve heard other gentlemen mention it…”

At Jenia’s words, Amelia and Ioleen couldn’t help but let their gazes drop involuntarily.

Having undergone rapid growth recently, Jenia’s figure displayed a distinctly curved S-line, which blended well with her long red hair, exuding a strange charm.

In contrast, Ioleen and Amelia’s curves leaned closer to an I-shape, compelling them to subconsciously cross their arms to hide themselves.

“That is…!”

“What a shallow attack!”

Despite having exchanged barbs until now without raising their voices, this time, their high-pitched complaints rang out.

“However… this is also a weapon I possess!”

Not wanting to be beaten down, Jenia leaned in even closer, countering with conviction.

As if they could hold their ground no longer, both Ioleen and Amelia glared back at her.

“Well then, let’s finish the introductions, and now we shall commence the demonstration of the new animation, ‘Kingdom of Ice.’”

As they waged their own little battle, Rupert’s voice finally rang out to conclude the introductions.

They momentarily stopped their verbal sparring and turned their attention to the platform.

There stood Rupert, the cause of their contention, greeting the audience with a bright smile as he announced the start of the new animation, ‘Kingdom of Ice.’

***

The scene of the snowy mountain at dusk was projected onto the screen.

As soon as the image of a girl crossing the blue-tinged snowy mountains reflecting the moonlight appeared, music began to swell.

“This is amazing. It feels like someone is singing next to me.”

With careful planning, it was only natural that the screen was clearly visible, and thanks to the newly designed sound system ensuring sounds spread without overlap, the audience could fully appreciate it.

Soon, the screen showcased the girl in the snowy mountains singing joyously as if liberated, employing splendid ice magic.

People could only watch in a trance at that scene.

“How could there be such a piece of music…?”

“The music and visuals fit together so seamlessly.”

“More importantly, who on earth is the voice of the protagonist? It truly sounds like a person speaking.”

Among the invitees, many had also attended the previous academy graduation ceremony where the animation ‘Sylvania Music Troupe’ was shown.

The shock from that day was tremendous, so they had anticipated that this work would be great merely to match a similar level.

Yet, what unfolded before their eyes in the animation ‘Kingdom of Ice’ was on an entirely different scale.

First off, the fluidity of the movements had improved vastly compared to before.

While there had been some slight jerks in the past, now the scenes flowed naturally like real landscapes through the screen.

And the biggest change was undoubtedly the sound.

Rupert had asked Esteban to select vocalists from the Empire’s orchestras and hold private auditions, highlighting the performers’ prowess.

‘It’s not just about speaking; emotions must be conveyed, ensuring that the meaning and intent reach the audience!’

They had to sing well, act brilliantly, and most importantly, possess an enchanting voice—a stringent standard that had produced remarkable results.

“Our works look like mere child’s play in comparison.”

“I thought we had made some progress… but…”

“How many drawings went into each scene? This level of smoothness is unbelievable…”

Members of the Comic Club, having dabbled in animation production themselves, could feel the stark differences keenly.

While they had love for their own creations and never cut corners, they realized just how far they still had to go.

‘It wasn’t the time to be squabbling with Edric. One day, I’ll create a piece like that!’

Among them, Adrian felt a twinge of jealousy and competitive spirit.

The work he longed to create was just like this, and seeing Rupert churn out such pieces effortlessly made him seem almost monstrous.

Yet, at the same time, he had a strong desire to catch up.

“Edric. We should now put our all into…”

Adrian tried to engage Edric, who sat beside him, but hesitated mid-sentence.

“Elza…”

Edric was staring blankly at the screen, tears streaming down his face.

 

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