This year’s Imperial Academy has attracted attention for several reasons.
Every year, during the Academy’s admissions season, there is always a buzz surrounding the incoming students. However, this year’s batch of freshn is particularly impressive, drawing far more attention than usual.
First and foremost, the most famous individual is Edrick Bell, the third prince of the empire, who has been hailed by the Sword Saint as his greatest disciple.
Up until recently, rumors circulated that he would be a strong candidate to replace the current crown prince.
Among the new students, Edrick clearly stands out the most.
Of course, with the crown prince’s status and popularity now at an all-ti high, those rumors have subsided.
The next most famous student is Alia Bluewell, heir to the Bluewell Ducal family, the most prestigious noble family in the empire.
Known for her exceptional talent in magic, she is the second most notable figure after the crown prince.
In addition, the heir of Count Prius, the Northern Marquis, has also joined the academy, causing quite a stir.
Furthermore, the second prince of the Kingdom of Sylvania, a country with which the empire was at war only a few years ago, has also enrolled, giving rise to much gossip.
Although the war is over, there remains a deep rift between the two nations, especially since the Sylvanian Kingdom suffered much greater damage from the empire's preemptive strike. It’s hard to believe that they would send soone as high-ranking as the second prince to study in the empire.
So believe it was part of the peace agreent after the war, while others speculate that the first prince saw his brother as a political threat and sent him into exile.
With such an illustrious group of new students, there is constant talk that this may be the most extraordinary academy class in history.
“Have you heard the rumors about the academy’s art departnt?”
“Oh, those rumors?”
But it’s not just the students that people are talking about. The faculty of the Imperial Academy is also renowned for bringing together the best in their respective fields, and there is always a high level of interest in the professors.
Starting with the legendary magician Yustaf Heindel as headmaster, every professor at the academy is considered a top talent within the empire.
However, one professor, in particular, has been at the center of much speculation—Rupert Sorset, the newly appointed professor of the art departnt.
“Is that author really the new art professor?”
“Be careful what you say. He’s a professor now, and any careless comnts could cause trouble.”
“Nonsense. How can soone younger than be a professor?”
At 17, Rupert is the typical age for a new student entering the academy. However, his appointnt as a professor instead of a student at such a young age has certainly raised eyebrows.
Naturally, this unorthodox appointnt has sparked controversy, and while many have questioned it, no one can openly oppose it, given that the appointnt was recomnded by Yustaf, endorsed by the crown prince, and approved by the emperor.
anwhile, Rupert, the man at the center of all this attention, sits quietly in a corner of the stage, watching the entrance ceremony unfold.
Headmaster Yustaf welcos the new students and introduces them to the academy, while the new students listen attentively, their eyes wide with anticipation, and the returning students look bored.
Though these are so of the brightest talents in the empire, a few students can be seen dozing off. For the freshn, Yustaf might still be the legendary magician from stories, but for the older students, he’s simply an old man with a beard.
“Now, let introduce the professors who will be teaching you this year.”
At Yustaf’s words, the professors from the military departnt step forward to introduce themselves briefly.
When it’s finally ti for the art departnt to be introduced, the students’ expressions change, and they sit up straighter, clapping in anticipation.
It’s Rupert’s turn, the new professor everyone has been talking about.
Even the students who had looked bored during the previous introductions now pay close attention, eager to see the man who’s been at the center of so much speculation.
Finally, Rupert Sorset steps forward, walking slowly toward the center of the stage.
He knows that all eyes are on him, but his deanor is calm and composed, almost languid. A few murmurs spread through the crowd.
“Lucky kid.”
“Does having royal favor make him better than the rest of us?”
“So arrogant, even though he’s just an heir of a minor noble family.”
The very process of Rupert Sorset’s appointnt had been controversial. Many students found it hard to accept, and while Rupert had gained fa for his children's books and comics, he was the sa age as the freshn.
For students who prided themselves on their own skills and talents, it felt humiliating to be taught by soone younger than themselves.
After all, being a student of the Imperial Academy was a badge of honor, a recognition of one’s elite status as one of the brightest talents in the empire.
But having to learn from a 17-year-old professor? That was not sothing easily accepted.
The situation was especially difficult for the art students, who would be taking classes directly from Rupert, unlike students from other departnts who wouldn’t interact with him as much.
So, as Rupert stood at the center of the stage, the students’ sneers and curious glances were focused on him.
Finally, Rupert opened his mouth and spoke.
“I have a dream.”
It wasn’t the typical kind of introduction they had expected, but it imdiately drew everyone’s attention.
“People don’t yet understand what drawing really is. They ask, ‘Why do we need drawings when we already have photographs?’”
The students and faculty all nodded in agreent. No matter how hard one worked, a drawing could never match the precision of a photograph.
“A drawing is a full-color photograph created through countless irrational imaginations.”
“To learn how to draw is to learn how to see things properly. It goes beyond simply seeing what’s in front of you.”
Rupert’s words were filled with conviction, and there was a certain magnetism to them that captivated his audience.
The murmurs among the students faded, and everyone sat in silence, waiting for his next words.
“I have a dream,” Rupert continued, “a dream that goes beyond just drawing, beyond just the comics I create, and that I can one day create a mont that unites everyone across the continent.”
At first glance, Rupert’s words might have seed unrealistic, but he paused for a mont before continuing.
“I have a dream that drawing, in its many forms, can be used for the benefit of people, beyond just fairy tales and comics.”
He paused again.
“I have a dream that, in the not-too-distant future, I will be able to create these things together with the students of this Imperial Academy.”
When Rupert finally finished speaking, everyone in the audience seed to snap out of a trance, realizing just how intently they had been listening.
“I can promise you this: for those who take my art departnt’s classes, I will give you an experience unlike anything you’ve had before.”
What could possibly be beyond comics? How could he unite people from across the continent with it? And what kind of new experience could he offer?
These were the questions running through everyone’s minds.
But Rupert had no intention of elaborating further.
“That’s all for now. I’ll explain more during the lectures.”
With that, Rupert ended his introduction and returned to his seat.
The remaining professors introduced themselves, but Rupert had left such a strong first impression that no one rembered much of what ca afterward.
___________________
After the entrance ceremony, Rupert sat comfortably in his spacious office at the academy, sipping tea with Esteban, the head of Esteban Trading Company. The office, located in a pri spot, had been thoughtfully provided by Yustaf, clearly showing his regard for Rupert.
Rupert had effectively made the entrance ceremony his own, and now he and Esteban were discussing the reception of his introduction.
Rupert had prepared the speech, drawing on morable quotes he had heard on Earth, and had hoped it would leave a strong impression. The reaction had exceeded his expectations.
As soon as the ceremony had ended, Yustaf had invited Rupert to the headmaster’s office for tea and had praised him for his impressive presentation.
"It’s true," Esteban remarked, "we can’t rely solely on the core art courses to attract the talent we need. We have to draw as many students as possible from the general education courses."
Rupert and Esteban hadn’t done this just for show. Everything was part of Rupert’s broader plan for his animation business.
Rupert was scheduled to teach two courses: a major course for the art departnt and a general education course open to all students. While the major course was mandatory for art students, the general education course, Understanding Art, was barely even taken by art students, let alone others.
If things continued as they were, Rupert’s goal of recruiting talented individuals for his animation projects could be jeopardized.
With so many questioning Rupert’s qualifications as a professor, it was clear that very few students would willingly sign up for his general education course.
That was why he needed to make a bold impression during the entrance ceremony.
Students had a week after the ceremony to attend trial classes before officially enrolling in their chosen courses. Rupert could only hope that his speech had piqued enough interest to draw students to his class.
"The projection machine you ntioned, sir, is now being researched at the Magic Tower," Esteban inford Rupert.
"Really? That’s promising."
Of course, while talented students were essential, technology was also critical to making the animation business work.
The most crucial piece of equipnt was the projection machine. Rupert’s goal was to create a film projector, a classic device that uses light and a shutter to display moving images on a screen.
Though not as advanced as modern projectors, it would be more than enough to show animation.
“I never thought I’d be using what I learned in college,” Rupert mused. During his college years, he’d often wondered why he was learning about such devices, thinking that as neither a director nor an engineer, it would never be relevant. But now he was realizing the truth of the saying: “You never know when you’ll use what you’ve learned.”
Of course, he never could have predicted he’d be applying this knowledge in another world.
"Kroon and his craftsn are working on developing the film, but it seems to be more difficult than anticipated," Esteban added.
"Even after your explanation, I still have trouble understanding what it’s supposed to be."
In fact, there were still many challenges ahead. Rupert didn’t possess all of modern-day knowledge; he could only describe a rough concept without fully explaining the details of how things worked.
Film, for instance, was one of the biggest challenges.
To create film, you needed nitrocellulose, a chemical, combined with camphor, a substance extracted from a special tree. Then, silver had to be applied as a photosensitive elent, and the whole thing was coated with gelatin to form the film strip.
It was miraculous that Rupert even rembered all this, but unfortunately, he had no idea how to produce these materials in this world.
Thus, Kroon and the craftsn at the workshop had been working tirelessly to recreate these substances. However, the chemical components were especially challenging for them, so they had enlisted the help of the Alchemy Guild.
Progress was being made, but there was still a long way to go, and Rupert had resigned himself to patiently wait for results.
After all, without the right talent and materials, there was no reason to rush.
"By the way, I hear you’re already working on the storyboard for volus 9 and 10?" Esteban asked.
"Yes, I’m trying to get as much done as possible before the sester begins, because once classes start, I won’t have much ti."
"It’s a sha that Iron-blooded Alchemist is coming to an end. As an avid reader myself, I’m sad to see it go. I can’t imagine how the other fans must feel."
"Don’t worry," Rupert said with a confident smile. "When they see my next project, they won’t have ti to dwell on it."
Esteban couldn’t help but feel excited by Rupert’s confidence. Iron-blooded Alchemist had been a masterpiece, both in terms of its content and its structure. The idea that Rupert had sothing even better in store was thrilling.
Rupert hadn’t ntioned anything about his next project yet, except to tell Esteban to start expanding the rchandise factories and preparing for more store openings.
Despite his uncertainty, Esteban had no choice but to trust Rupert and make preparations as instructed.
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