Drawing Manga in a Romance Fantasy

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“Wowww!!!”

The cheers of the crowd, filling the Circular Arena, erupted like an earthquake shaking the ground beneath them.

“What an incredible spectacle! I’ve never seen such cheers, not even at the jousting tournaments.”

“It seems that jousting is a bit too challenging for the common folk to enjoy, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor’s designated seat, positioned at the best vantage point, was where Court Marquis Julius cautiously replied to the Emperor’s observation about the fervor of the audience.

“That makes sense. Without a horse, no one can even learn jousting in the first place.”

The Emperor pondered if the spectators of the ancient Colosseum felt similarly before the Empire was founded. It was indeed rare to see nobles and commoners alike so passionately united.

Given their vastly different cultural backgrounds, nobles found the commoners’ pastimes vulgar and avoided them, while commoners deemed noble amusements as stale and elitist.

The only cultural event that once captivated both classes was the ancient gladiatorial games, but now, the atmosphere of the assembled crowd in the Circular Arena felt as if it could rival that.

‘It’s just cards after all.’

Emperor Leonious Bell gazed at the small box set before him.

Inside was the limited edition card that Rupert had presented to him, meant for the winner of the tournament.

At first, he had doubts—could a simple card cause the kind of excitement Rupert claimed? However, he was astounded by how things unfolded exactly as Rupert predicted.

‘Though not now, in time, the prestige of the royal family hosting this tournament will surely grow.’

Thus, he found it hard to dismiss Rupert’s assertion that this tournament would later bolster the imperial authority.

“If only you had participated, it would have been a guaranteed victory, wouldn’t it?”

“I’m too honored, Your Majesty. I’m grateful for your high regard, but I’m just a mere comic artist. My skills in card games are nothing special.”

“Hmm? Even though the card game appears in the comic you created?”

“Sadly, yes.”

Rupert, who planned this tournament, was granted the honor of sitting next to the Emperor’s designated seat due to his contributions.

Of course, Rupert felt extremely uncomfortable, but he could not defy the Emperor’s orders and had to respond obediently.

‘Even as a creator, there are so many geniuses out there,’

While he could perform better than ordinary people, many duelists outpaced him with their ingenious strategies that transcended the creator’s intentions.

And due to the nature of card games, where split-second decisions and fierce psychological battles occurred, it would be tough to win, even for a creator.

“Then, let us commence the first match of the finals for the Royal Somerset Card Game Tournament!!!”

In the center of the Circular Arena, a specially installed Duel Room was prepared, and the announcer kicked off the event with a booming voice amplified by magic.

“What a robust voice!”

“We’ve hired performers from a famous theatrical troupe for this tournament.”

“Did you even arrange for commentators?”

“Yes, indeed. I thought it necessary to have people analyze and explain the matches for those who might not know card games.”

“Good call.”

Outside the Duel Room, supported by the royal family, the announcer sat alongside two commentators, providing live updates about the match for the audience.

This too was an idea proposed by Rupert, following the lead of past game tournaments to ensure even the uninitiated could enjoy watching.

Thanks to that, the audience could grasp the ongoing matches more easily, sometimes learning the competitors’ strategies along the way.

“The winner of the first match is Joy!!!”

As the victor of the initial match of the finals, which started with 16 contestants, was announced, another wave of cheers erupted from the audience.

The boy known as Joy waved back, tears streaming down his face as he responded to the adulation.

“Such a remarkable child!”

“There are even four contestants who aren’t adults among the finalists.”

“Oh?”

“Since it’s not a physical contest, even children can compete with adults fairly well, which is the charm of it.”

Excluding Joy, who just won, three other minors had made it to the finals.

‘I never expected Aida to make it this far.’

Rupert pondered whether he should cheer for Aida Somerset, whose name was boldly written on the bracket, or hope she would fall out now.

‘That brat!’

The Emperor was also troubled by the name William Bell listed on the roster.

The second son, who hadn’t even visited the family of his fiancée, due to a significant event recently, had entered the card tournament, causing him a headache.

“Wow, it’s the Crown Prince!!!”

“That guy is that lecherous one?”

“Hey! Watch your mouth!”

Fearing the growing crowd’s desire to put the Crown Prince in check, the commoners’ perception of the Crown Prince had transformed him into a womanizer.

However,

“The duelist with the sharp insight is indeed the Crown Prince!”

“A royal is a royal, after all! He’s just hiding his claws!”

“There are only two who have made it to the finals undefeated, and the Crown Prince is one of them!”

The identity of the veiled participant sweeping the official tournament of [King of Cards] had been unveiled: it was none other than Prince William.

The perception of him reversed 180 degrees.

While he still didn’t earn as much popularity as his older brother, the Steel Prince, the number of citizens recognizing him had noticeably increased.

‘This kind of life isn’t too bad…’

William, who had intentionally lived in a way to not threaten his brother’s position, had always believed his role was to protect the royal family and safeguard the Empire from the shadows.

Yet, he was gradually growing weary of plotting and scheming against others.

Then, when his brother Alex, as if awakening, transformed into a hero who saved the Empire, none questioned his claim to the crown, prompting William to reconsider whether he still needed to live his previous life.

Then, an opportunity that would change his life appeared in [King of Cards].

“The winner is none other than our Crown Prince, William!!!”

“Wowww!!!”

As he demonstrated his skills freely through the duel, it delighted William to witness no one getting hurt or sacrificed.

Seeing the crowd cheering for his strategies made him wonder if this life might actually be enjoyable.

“Now to the next opponent…”

William examined the bracket just confirmed for the quarterfinals after his victory in the last match of the round of 16.

He was set to face an opponent he had previously watched in a duel.

While he could not afford to be careless, he felt confident he would not lose against the opponent’s previously displayed skills.

What intrigued him more was the contestant across the bracket.

“I can’t let my brother’s cherished niece through.”

Having observed Aida’s match before his own, William instantly sensed that, though she was just a kid, it would be no easy match.

He knew she was someone his brother Alex treasured, but that aside, he was determined to win.

***

– Thousands of years later! Finally, the prophesized ♬

A grand chorus reverberated throughout the Circular Arena.

“Whoa!!! Yuki is on the move!”

“Is that the White-Eyed Azure Dragon?!”

“Insane! Is that from that animation?!”

As the audience waited for the quarterfinals, the square screen at the center of the arena showcased the [King of Cards] animation along with the song.

Certainly, many in the Empire had seen the animation at the Somerset Theater, but there were still quite a few who hadn’t seen it.

The reactions of those who watched the [King of Cards] animation were fervent.

– The decision has been made to produce the [King of Cards] animation!

Upon the words that appeared next on the screen, the crowd could hardly contain their excitement.

After all, everyone present had come to watch the card tournament and were ardent readers of the [King of Cards] comic.

The announcement that [King of Cards] would be adapted into an animation sent their hearts racing.

– Happy happy happy good day! Let’s hold hands, family, and head to Somerset Goods Store!

Following came an upbeat advertisement related to Somerset and the Yuren Merchant Association.

The audience, already captivated by the short animated video, was mesmerized, even by the promotional content.

“Wow, I’ve heard that song once, why is it so catchy?!”

“Right? It’s kind of addictive, happy happy happy~.”

“Thinking about it, taking the kids to the Goods Store doesn’t sound bad at all!”

The audience, enchanted by the short video that had just played, found themselves unknowingly singing along.

“If I’d missed this opportunity, I would have truly regretted it.”

Esteban, the guild leader of the Yuren Merchant Association, watched the scene with a satisfied smile.

Though Rupert, who planned such an incredible advertisement, couldn’t celebrate the success of the first video with the Emperor,

Esteban felt this ad placed during the tournament would undoubtedly be a tremendous hit.

Even those who usually paid no attention to street promotions or flyers would surely be drawn in by this captivating video, generating excitement.

“Happy happy happy good day~ Truly, this song is wonderfully composed.”

Having confidently promoted the effectiveness of the quirky jingle, Rupert found himself humming along to the tune as Esteban was doing the same.

This marked the first appearance of the mid-ads of what would later be known as the Royal Somerset Card Tournament.

Unbeknownst to Esteban, many would soon pour countless amounts of money into securing such advertisements in the future.