Autor Notes:
Before we begin, I’d like to note that I’ve revised Chapter 145, which I posted yesterday.
I realized that I had improperly characterized the heroines, and this seems to have caused discomfort among so readers. I sincerely apologize for this oversight.
This section will be removed tomorrow, with the release of Chapter 147.
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Chapter 146
On the continent of Silbenia, many nations existed beyond the Borus Empire, where Rupert lived.
Among them was the Kingdom of Silvania, the holand of Adrian, who was studying abroad at the Imperial Academy. There was also the desert kingdom of Aran, among others. Each of these nations was smaller than the Empire individually, but together, their combined territory and population rivaled it.
These countries, however, shared a common sentint:
“Borus Empire? Using their goods is pure treason!”
“Those Empire dogs, so arrogant and full of themselves—it makes sick!”
“When the Empire collapses one day, that will be our ti for revenge!”
That sentint was a near-reflexive hatred for the Empire.
To understand this disdain, one must look back at the history of the continent.
Before the Empire’s founding, Silbenia was a fragnted land of dozens of small kingdoms warring for dominance.
During this ti, Borus was rely one of these smaller kingdoms.
However, after Emperor Alexander Bell united the smaller kingdoms through conquest and established the Empire, the continent’s history beca a cycle.
It was a cycle of the Borus Empire striving to unify the continent and the smaller nations banding together to resist its ambitions.
Today, the balance of power was relatively stable, with clearly defined territories for each side. But for centuries prior, the continent had been locked in a tug-of-war of war and alliances.
So romanticized this era as the "Age of Chivalry," particularly within the Empire. But for the nations that lived in fear of losing their sovereignty to the Empire’s invasions, the Empire was a monstrous predator.
Even after the resumption of trade between the Empire and the other nations, Imperial rchants avoided traveling to these foreign lands for a long ti.
"Money is important, but not enough to risk your life."
The reputation of the Empire was so dire that its rchants were frequently attacked, with many losing their lives, which dissuaded others from trading abroad.
‘The Empire is self-sufficient.’
In truth, the Empire had little to worry about. With nearly half the continent under its control, it could source all necessities dostically, and what it couldn’t, it could acquire through trade with the East across the sea.
It was the smaller nations that suffered.
So were landlocked, while others were isolated in desert, mountainous, or coastal regions. For them, trade with the Empire was a necessity, regardless of their animosity.
"Establish trade districts to conduct transactions there."
To facilitate comrce, foreign nations created special trade zones within their territories, guaranteeing the safety of Imperial rchants.
“But the only goods we accept from the Empire are raw materials.”
Knak Sunamun, the Grand Vizier of Aran, muttered as he observed Imperial rchants enthusiastically negotiating deals in the bustling trade district.
“Indeed, Grand Vizier. Even if Imperial goods are cheap, our people would rather use our own, more expensive goods. It is a matter of Aran’s pride,” the trade district manager said proudly.
Despite shortages that required importing materials from the Empire, Aran refused to purchase finished Imperial products, holding onto this last shred of pride.
“Yet it seems that product has found its way naturally into our rchants’ hands,” Knak remarked, his gaze narrowing.
“That... that is...” the manager stamred, unable to offer a satisfactory explanation.
“Limited release! The latest masterpiece from Sorset Workshop—100 copies of Rupert’s Fables!”
The cry of an Imperial rchant drew a crowd of Aran rchants eager to bid.
“I’ll buy it for 10 gold!”
“I’ll pay 11 gold!”
“Fifteen gold! I’ll take it for fifteen!”
The scene of rchants fervently outbidding one another for the coveted Rupert’s Fables was impossible to ignore.
“These products have beco wildly popular of late...”
“I don’t bla you,” Knak interjected, waving off the manager’s stamring apology.
Even he couldn’t deny it. He himself had bought these fairy tales for his children.
Despite the deep-seated animosity toward the Empire, its books had sparked a quiet frenzy in the trade district over the past few months.
‘It’s remarkable how captivated children have beco by these fairy tales.’
‘Is literature inherently Imperial? No, they’re just toys for children.’
‘Comic books aren’t Imperial goods; they’re simply a new cultural phenonon.’
Unlike traditional Imperial goods, these fairy tales and comics faced little resistance, as they seed to hold a strange, almost magical allure for people.
"Have you heard? The Iron-Blooded Alchemist has already concluded in the Empire."
"You're behind the tis! Several new works have already been released."
"I heard card gas are all the rage among Imperial nobles these days."
Once soone experienced Rupert's works, it was as if they were addicted, eagerly awaiting the next release.
Recently, the most popular goods in the trade districts weren’t food, iron, or even salt—they were the creations from Sorset Workshop.
And this phenonon wasn’t limited to the Kingdom of Aran.
Bang!
“You fools!”
Among the many nations that despised the Empire, the one that hated it the most was undoubtedly the Kingdom of Silvania.
“I’m sorry!”
“How did this happen? Trying to stick it to the Empire only ended up helping them instead!”
As the nation sharing the most extensive border with Borus Empire and often considered the strongest non-Imperial nation, Silvania had been embroiled in countless conflicts with the Empire.
Pri Minister Kartel of Silvania had been struggling to contain his rage lately.
“Prince Adrian risked his life for our kingdom by venturing into the Empire!”
His chest tightened every ti he thought of Adrian, who had been sent to the Imperial Academy, essentially as a hostage.
Pri Minister, I will sow discord in the Empire. If things go awry, I’ll stay behind on my own. Prepare to abandon if necessary.
“Ah... Your Highness.”
Adrian had willingly infiltrated the Empire to weaken it from within.
Yet now, Silvania’s nobles were enamored with the Empire’s latest innovations, and it was infuriating.
“Illegal reproductions have only made things worse.”
“Damn those Imperial dogs! Did they anticipate even this?”
Kartel berated himself for his rash actions.
A year ago, the Empire’s new cultural innovations had spread like wildfire, and Silvania, being one of its closest neighbors, was among the first to encounter them.
Fairy tales and comic books.
Kartel still recalled when he first reviewed these books, which had beco a sensation across the Empire among nobles and commoners alike.
Rupert’s creations were undeniably compelling. They were visually appealing, easy to read, and entertaining—features that hadn’t existed on the continent before.
“These will inevitably make their way into Silvania!”
Kartel, recognizing their influence, resolved to prevent their spread.
But that was easier said than done.
“Even if we block their sale in the trade district, smuggling is impossible to eradicate.”
As a border nation, Silvania had many smugglers willing to risk everything for quick profits. No matter how strictly Kartel tried to ban these goods, he realized they would find their way into the kingdom.
Thus, he chose a different approach.
“Recruit the kingdom’s artisans imdiately and keep it secret!”
If the flow couldn’t be stopped, Kartel decided to at least prevent the hated Empire from profiting.
He gathered the kingdom’s best artisans and instructed them to mass-produce pirated versions of the fairy tales and comic books.
The plan seed logical.
By flooding the market with cheap reproductions, priced close to cost, they could outcompete both smuggled and officially imported Imperial goods. Imperial rchants would suffer massive losses.
Initially, the plan appeared to be working.
“We already have plenty of these in the kingdom.”
“What? That’s impossible! This is our first shipnt!”
“Well, we won’t pay that price.”
Watching Imperial rchants return ho empty-handed had felt like a decade of pent-up frustration lting away.
But Kartel had failed to anticipate one key factor.
“The quality is leagues apart.”
“I own the genuine article from the Empire, and it’s on a whole other level.”
“No matter how cheap it is, I can’t settle for this knockoff trash!”
The quality gap between the pirated versions produced under Kartel’s supervision and the genuine articles from Sorset Workshop was glaringly obvious.
At first, the cheap reproductions were popular among the commoners, but the nobles wanted the real thing. They saw owning officially imported goods as a status symbol, and this trend quickly gained traction.
Despite the artisans’ best efforts, they couldn’t replicate the expertise Rupert had built over years, nor match the craftsmanship of Crun, the dwarf whose skill was nothing short of a cheat code.
As Imperial goods beca a status symbol for the nobility, wealthy rchants followed suit, purchasing the originals. Soon even commoners began emulating them, and Rupert’s works beca even more popular in Silvania than in other nations.
“Books are books! They’re all the sa!”
Kartel couldn’t understand it.
How could Imperial craftsmanship be so advanced that the kingdom’s best artisans couldn’t compete?
In the end, the reproductions had backfired spectacularly, boosting demand for the genuine articles. Imperial rchants, emboldened by this turn of events, began dominating trade negotiations.
“Shall we renegotiate our terms?”
“I thought you said you didn’t need us?”
“Ha-ha, let’s forget the past and start fresh...”
“The price has gone up.”
“Damn it, we’ll pay whatever you ask!”
And so, fairy tales and comic books were spreading rapidly across the continent, unstoppable in their rise.
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