A Dog of Flanders
A Dog of Flanders
"Is this really possible?"
People had gathered in clusters around a single book, engaged in heated discussion.
Their topic of discussion was the contents of <Iron-Blooded Alchemist> Volume 2, released today.
『"The Flame Alchemy left behind by my master—the secret art of alchemy—is the strongest and most brutal alchemy, controlling hydrogen and oxygen particles in the atmosphere!"』
People marveled at the scene where enemies were burned away with just a snap of the fingers.
"See, what did I tell you! I said the Iron-Blooded brat was no match for the Flame Alchemist, didn't I?"
"I have no choice but to admit it!!! Is the Flame Alchemist a god?"
Since everyone read at a different pace, some people pestered others to turn the pages faster, while others begged them to turn slowly because they hadn't seen it yet.
Getting a limited edition or premium hardcover was nearly impossible, but the standard volumes were released in decent quantities, so at least one person in every village had managed to get a copy.
And the person who got the book held the privilege of swaggering around like a general returning victorious from war.
'You insulted me by calling me bald last time.'
'Wasn't that years ago, over drinks?'
'I haven't forgotten, so you're out of luck!'
People already obsessed with the manga went out of their way to stay on the good side of whoever had the next volume, hoping for a chance to read it together.
Of course, the standard volumes were being produced steadily, so they could read it eventually, but enduring that wait was incredibly difficult.
Especially when people who had already read it—
'Ahh... that Chimera Alchemist who appeared in Iron-Blooded Alchemist Volume 2 is suspicious no matter how you look at him, right?'
'Of course he is! A talking chimera? No one who creates such hideous things could possibly be normal!'
—whether intentionally or not, spoiled the contents to those who hadn't read it yet, and the victims of this merciless tyranny gnashed their teeth.
But having read Volume 2 first didn't make things any better.
"How does it make any sense to end it here?!"
"Nana... Nana's in danger! That father of hers is definitely scheming something!"
"No, more importantly, what the hell are these Artificial Humans that showed up this time? They're named after the seven deadly sins, so they're definitely up to something."
People felt despair at the final scene of Volume 2, which ended right when their anticipation had peaked.
Volume 2 had come out after a month, so the thought of having to wait another month for the next volume left them feeling utterly helpless.
"Oh? What's this?"
Then those who read Volume 2 to the end found a small slip of paper attached to the last page.
'Iron-Blooded Alchemist New Merchandise: Imperial-Certified Alchemist Pocket Watch Raffle Ticket'
It was about a specially produced merchandise item that only 12 people could win in the raffle.
"You mean they're actually raffling off the pocket watch from this manga?"
"Wait, so the more raffle tickets you have, the higher your chances of winning?"
A single thought flashed through everyone's minds.
If it was a raffle, not an auction, then with a bit of luck, couldn't you win with just one volume?
They'd already thought the Imperial-Certified Alchemist Pocket Watch in the manga looked cool every time they saw it and wanted one.
And now they could get it for free?
"This is by no means meaningless spending! It's a rational choice."
And if they actually won, they could certainly sell it for an enormous price.
Even with limited-edition manga volumes, just getting your hands on one meant you could sell it for several times the price, and there were nobles willing to pay dozens of times over.
This pocket watch, with only twelve being raffled off, would surely be worth no less than that.
For commoners, there was no greater stroke of luck than stumbling upon a gold bar on the street.
"When was the next shipment coming in?"
Both those who had already bought it and those who hadn't yet were seized by the conviction that they absolutely had to buy this Volume 2.
But none of them could have imagined that the same thing was happening all across the Empire.
***
"How can there be such shameless people?"
If <Iron-Blooded Alchemist> Volume 2 had sparked a manga-hoarding craze, the picture book , released around the same time, had sparked a craze of a different kind.
People were moved reading the scenes of a red-haired boy struggling to get by alone with his grandfather, striving for a bright future.
And they felt sorrow at the misfortunes that befell the boy one after another.
But just as the previous picture books—except for The Little Mermaid—had all ended happily.
"How could!!! An ending like this...."
Those who had felt uneasy as the end approached with no twist in sight all burst into tears at the final scene.
It wasn't only the children who cried.
The children were already wailing at the top of their lungs, rolling on the ground and demanding that Nello and Patrasche be saved, and even the adults couldn't hold back their tears.
If the picture books hadn't been coated to be waterproof, there would already have been countless waterlogged copies.
"Child, I'll buy all the fruit you have there."
"Huh? All of it?"
"Yes. You must keep living diligently. Never give up!"
Sales for boys selling fruit to passersby on the streets skyrocketed.
Most of them were orphans who had lost their parents in the war, or children from struggling households who had come out to earn their own keep.
Normally, nobles didn't even glance at them and were more likely to snap at them for dirtying the streets.
So when those same people suddenly changed and started buying their goods, even patting their heads and encouraging them, the children were bewildered.
But they soon realized it was all because of the picture book .
From then on, it became a trend among the Empire's orphans and struggling children to walk around with a dog.
Because a rumor had spread that if a child walked around selling goods with a dog, people would buy their wares as if possessed.
***
"This is astonishing no matter how many times I see it."
The Borus Empire was a nation that believed in the goddess 'Gaia,' who was said to have created the Silvania Continent.
Therefore, no other religions existed, and only the Goddess Church was recognized as the state religion.
The standing of the Goddess Church was such that even the imperial family could not easily interfere with it.
The headquarters of the Goddess Church was located in none other than Celestial, called the 'Garden of Heaven,' in the eastern part of the Empire.
It was a place where legend said the goddess had lain down to rest briefly after creating the continent, and it was also a holy site of the Goddess Church.
Perhaps because the goddess really had lain there, Celestial was an unbelievable place where flowers bloomed regardless of the season and it remained bright even at night.
Even monsters, descendants of the demonic beasts that swarmed across the continent, wouldn't come near this place. It could only be seen as a true miracle of the goddess.
As befitting such an important holy site, only the Pope and other high-ranking clergy resided in Celestial—and recently, a small commotion had arisen there.
"Have you all seen this picture book?"
It was because of none other than the Saintess.
One day, the Saintess had brought a book, gathered the clergy, opened it to a certain page, and spoken.
"The content is also excellent. It realistically portrays those who discriminate against and oppress the poor, even though all people of the continent are children of the goddess."
The picture book had already spread quite widely, so many of the clergy had read it and all agreed with the Saintess's words.
"Moreover, the artist drew a scene like this at the end."
The final scene of the picture book depicted the fallen protagonist and his dog before a sacred painting modeled after the goddess.
Unlike the shabby, small figures of the characters, the sacred painting felt enormous, majestic, and even holy.
It was a painting so beautiful that it was almost overwhelming to behold.
"I realized something while looking at this sacred painting of the goddess! This is the very mission the goddess has bestowed upon us."
"What do you mean?"
The clergy were puzzled as they listened to the Saintess. They understood up to the middle part.
It was a noble message about helping those who were discriminated against and suffering.
But what mission had she realized from that painting?
"We who serve the goddess have until now treated sacred paintings and murals modeled after her as trivial things and neglected them."
In truth, it wasn't so much neglect as it was that the painters of the Silvania Continent were sorely lacking in skill.
When asked to paint the goddess, a whole crowd of clumsy people had produced bizarre paintings and then demanded payment.
The prevailing opinion until now had been that rather than hanging up such shoddy paintings, it was better to give even a single coin to the poor instead.
"If paintings like this were hung in churches across the entire Empire, how beautiful would it be, and how strongly would the goddess's will be felt?"
"Oh-ho, indeed, with a painting like this, it would not only be worthy of display, but people would come to understand the goddess's majesty even better."
The Saintess's opinion was not unreasonable.
The final scene Rupert had poured his heart and soul into was so accomplished that it was hard to believe it belonged in a picture book.
No—it was even far superior to the work of Saint, the imperial court painter said to be the greatest artist in the Empire.
"I heard that a new church is being built in Goldpool Valley, the territory of Sir Rupert Somerset, the artist of this picture book."
"Yes, that's right, Saintess. Monk Manuel has already been dispatched and is making progress."
"What if we were to paint the sacred image of the goddess from this picture book there, larger and more magnificent, so that many people could see it?"
"An excellent idea! We could implement it there first, gauge the reaction, and then spread it further."
The Saintess agreed with the clergyman's words, saying that sounded good, and then added.
"Since the first step is so important, it would be fitting for me to visit in person."
And so, without Rupert's knowledge, the visit of the Saintess of the Goddess Church—said to wield power second only to the Emperor—was confirmed.