Chapter 33
Translator: True Detective
Comics Are Awesooooome~! Incredible~!
A comic that will solve both racial harmony and the eradication of illiteracy at the same time.
The artists mobilized for that great undertaking.
Miles Martin, one of the artists mobilized for the work while simultaneously learning the new culture called comics.
Miles, a highly promising talent among emerging artists who was expected to grow into a giant in the art world, was shocked upon encountering the new art called 'comics'.
"So the creator's imagery can also be conveyed through pictures in this manner...!"
A work that even those who do not know what art is or what an eye for beauty is can be impressed by, which was what he pursued.
Seeing a comic that had aspects aligning with that, he was surprised to find there was such a path as well.
However, conversely, a gaze that viewed comics unfavorably also existed in the art world.
Saying that they were playing clowns with noble art, with pictures.
Furthermore, comics was a field that inevitably had a strong commercial feel to it.
Even if the public turns away, art is art!
Comics were fundamentally different from conventional works that could shout such things.
Comics were something difficult to exist without the public's interest.
Of course, one could do art through comics, but fundamentally, comics belonged to commerce.
Should one call it a role like the vanguard of the cultural industry.
Because of that, the so-called old fogeys with their heads full of ink—no, paint—could only view comics with distaste.
"Are you attempting to defile even art now, following literature!"
There were voices condemning Noel Grace for creating such strange things like comics and dragging pictures down into commerce in this manner.
However, opinions were different among young, open-minded artists.
Young artists like Miles Martin, who had less aversion to accepting new cultures, were enthusiastic when the new path called comics was presented.
"I'm seriously thinking of becoming a comic artist. The more you study this, the deeper it really is."
"Honestly, they say comics are too commercial... but what's the difference between this and drawing vanity-filled portraits under the commission of nobles?"
"Right! The important thing isn't the method of expression, but what is contained in the work, exactly that! Is a foolish portrait of a fat, bloated noble unconditionally art just because it's a painting? Is a work expressing pure love between races and what it means to be good trash if it's a comic? It's not!"
"Even that Clara Vence draws comics, so why can't we?"
"Silence! Comics are art, and Noel Grace is a muse! To deny this means death, and...!"
"The muse is real, and she is creating comics in the Viscountcy right now!"
In this way, the number of people earnestly dreaming of converting to comic artists among young artists was increasing.
There were, of course, those who wanted to take this opportunity to switch to the seemingly promising profession of comics because they were artists whose works weren't selling.
There were also those who wanted to become comic artists not because of convictions or views on art, but simply because they liked drawing and it would be enough if they could make a living while drawing.
However, there were also those like Miles Martin who harbored thoughts of liquidating their successful artist lives and converting to comic artists according to their own convictions and ideologies.
The problem was that discarding everything they had built up and taking a new path was indeed not an easy decision.
It was especially so for promising artists like Miles Martin, and there were also many who just wanted to dip their toes in to see what comics were.
And the minds that only intended to dip their toes...
"This is a comic... To think it has such charm...!"
Tilted decidedly through the comic production they were participating in.
The process of drawing comics was consistently new, surprising, and fresh.
Every artist has a different area they specialize in.
Some draw animals well, some draw backgrounds well, and some draw people well.
Such individuals utilized their respective specialties, drawing backgrounds, drawing people, and drawing animals to complete a single work.
It was a truly astonishing experience.
It felt like a miniature version of multiple artists discussing and cooperating to complete a large mural in a temple.
Losing sleep at night to draw comics again and again, pouring out the stories they wanted to tell through their works.
Artists falling into the charm of comics to the point where they couldn't escape.
They even felt ecstasy particularly towards Homer's new work The Character Expedition, which they were currently participating in working on.
Because they were only planting trees on the front lines, they couldn't macroscopically verify well if the forest was being cultivated nicely, but doesn't a feeling naturally come as you plant?
Ah, these trees will gather to form a truly large forest!
That kind of feeling.
At first, because they said they were making an educational comic to eradicate illiteracy, they couldn't grasp it at all... but now they understood.
At first, they thought of the stiff and boring textbooks used when studying letters in their childhood, but it wasn't that.
'We are currently participating in history that will leave a huge mark on the cultural and educational fields.'
It was so fun that such pride naturally formed, to the point where thoughts like, 'Why didn't we have things like this when I was young? If we had, I would have studied well,' arose spontaneously.
An era of tribulation where a hero had not yet been born.
A time when humans and other races were busy barely defending their right to survive against the demon race due to the Demon King's powerful strength.
To bring ruin to all humans, elves, beastmen, and dwarves alike, the Demon King took away the concept of letters from the world.
When this happens, the transmission of knowledge becomes difficult, and communicating and contacting each other immediately becomes difficult as well.
Civilizations deprived of letters overnight face the fate of regression, and amidst that crisis, heroes rise to reclaim the letters stolen by the Demon King.
The Character Expedition, born in that manner, utilizes the power of a few letters they barely managed to protect from the Demon King's grasp to face the demon race and embark on a journey to recapture the letters.
A Monk priest armed with faithful belief and a strong spirit.
A warrior of the blue grasslands and a beastman in charge of the expedition's martial prowess.
A Ranger elf who guides and leads the path the expedition will take.
An all-rounder dwarf who takes responsibility for everything from equipment to the necessities of adventure.
Through their journey, the comic of literally finding letters one by one was expected to greatly help in eradicating illiteracy.
If it's a letter the Character Expedition reclaimed after all sorts of hardships in a fun comic, it would probably be clearly imprinted in the memories of adults and children alike.
It's even marvelous how they managed to think of something like this.
An educational comic.
Since it was a time when the seeds of comics had only just been sown, the astonishment people felt was on a tremendous level.
'To think of such an idea? Noel Grace, she is a genius!'
Miles genuinely gave thanks for living in the same era as a genius like Noel.
Conversely, there are also those who lament that as long as a genius like Noel exists, surpassing her is impossible.
Either way, they are equally admiring the world Noel Grace has created.
A soaring reputation.
The ones rejoicing even more than the person involved in this situation were precisely her parents.
Not to mention the Viscount who was a fool for his daughter, the Viscountess was also relieved, thinking it was a relief.
Natalie, who had many worries as a good prospective son-in-law couldn't be easily found.
She had intended to give up on the eldest daughter if things went south and place her hopes on the second daughter, but at this pace, she felt they could somehow find a good partner.
In that sense, taking this opportunity, Natalie decided to throw a party.
Her daughter's enrollment into the academy was approaching, and she decided to grandly hold a 'ball' with the meaning of confirming her daughter's heightened reputation in the meantime.
Right now, it just so happened that the Imperial Princess, The Saintess, and a Count's daughter called the Rose of High Society were all in the territory.
To do nothing even when the board was set this well was, in a way, close to a dereliction of duty as a noble.
Normally, The Saintess, who should have returned to the Holy Kingdom until enrollment next year since the talks regarding the Fog Disease had also ended, was also staying continuously.
If not at this time when The Saintess was also continuously squatting down using the educational comic as a justification, when else would they do it?
Since The Saintess could return to the Holy Kingdom even tomorrow right away, she felt a greater sense of urgency.
Originally, a noble's party had a preparation period of several months, but there was no need to worry about that part.
Because Natalie had already been coordinating schedules with other nobles with the thought of throwing a small party soon anyway.
And with the current situation, schedule or not, if invited, they would have to throw away whatever they were doing and come running.
An Imperial Princess and The Saintess...
Even having just one person is incredible, but to receive an invitation to a party attended by both of those people and be absent saying you have a prior engagement?
It might be different if it was difficult to participate due to physical distance like in the past, but with Magic Trains laid across the entire Empire, being absent after receiving an invitation is something that cannot happen.
Sure enough, when the news that the Grace Viscountcy was holding a ball actually started to spread, high society was literally in an uproar as if a beehive had been poked.
"An invitation! I have to get an invitation no matter what!"
"Bwahaha! Knowing this would happen, I've been fully buying up the grain of the Grace Viscountcy! The invitation is mine!"
"Isn't that just because the grains of the Viscountcy are of high quality?"
"Oh my, have you still not received an invitation? The invitation arrived for our family a long time ago... How pitiful."
"Oho, is this the invitation to the Grace Viscountcy's ball? I did well to get it!"
"I barely managed to get an acquaintance who cannot attend due to not feeling well to yield it to me."
As much as the popularity of the party, the war of nerves and competition among the celebrities of the Empire over the limited invitations were also fierce.
As it was a gathering where incredible figures assembled, there were many who wanted to attend no matter what and make an impression.
As the Grace Viscountcy had no ambitions for central politics, there were no particular political enemies they had antagonized, so originally, when they held such a party, there were many guests anyway.
It was obvious at a glance that this ball would be a success to the point of being counted among the best in history.
A situation where the heat of a party that makes one forget the cold as soon as autumn passes and winter comes was reserved.
Right then,
"E-Excuse me... Sister Noel? There is something I would like to ask of you quietly..."
The Saintess came looking for Noel hesitantly.
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