Drawing Manga in a Romance Fantasy – Chapter 139

“Get ready, Yuki! In just five turns, the Ultimate Insect Monster will take you down!”

“I will never lose to a despicable duelist like you!”

It was almost inevitable that the two would clash on Battle Island after the Insect Ruler tried to eliminate Yuki’s cards, unable to think of a way to defeat the fantastical demon.

“Cursed Dragon! Breathe out the Breath of Destruction!!”

Following Yuki’s command, the Cursed Dragon unleashed hellfire.

“Haha!! The Cursed Dragon’s attack power can’t break through the field-buffed Cocoon’s defense!”

“Who said I was attacking the Cocoon?”

“What? No way…!”

“That’s right! I’m not attacking the Cocoon, but the entire forest field made of trees!”

The forest field, which was set ablaze by the Cursed Dragon’s flames, was now left with nothing but the Cocoon that no longer received any buff effects.

“Ugh! I have to consider the terrain in a duel too!”

“Yuki, this guy’s duel is always so inspiring.”

“I noticed that sneaky Seiga was planning to take out the fantastical demon! Those tricks won’t work on Yuki!”

The crowd cheered as they watched the story of powerful duelists gathering on Battle Island to rescue the grandfather sealed by the dark organization unfold in “King of Cards.”

“I wonder what new cards will appear in this episode?”

“Damn it! I need to save up my allowance again! To draw new cards.”

“At least there’s a silver lining. With the second-hand card shop, we have a way to trade unnecessary cards now, right?”

Once a new episode of “King of Cards” wrapped up, new card packs went on sale, making people both excited and fearful.

After already spending a significant amount of money on cards, the release of new card packs was becoming a financial burden.

Despite this, people found another way out.

‘Card second-hand shop’

Shops specializing in trading second-hand “King of Cards” cards started popping up.

Though they were still only in the major cities, these places were packed with duelists looking to trade cards, resulting in long waits just to complete a transaction.

“Hey! This is a super-rare card! How can I trade it for three rare cards?”

“This card is high in practicality; it’s a popular item, don’t you know? Alright then! I’ll throw in one more rare card.”

By selling cards they didn’t need, people were able to trade them for the cards they did need, or simply sell them outright, significantly reducing the burden of buying cards.

Moreover, the “King of Cards” card game had already narrowed down the decks used in actual duels.

Thus, it was entirely possible to enjoy the game by purchasing just a few packs and trading any extras instead of going overboard on purchases.

Aiming for anything beyond that was purely self-satisfaction, and that’s why many card game enthusiasts were not dissatisfied with the marketing tactics surrounding card packs.

“Hey, it seems like a tournament is about to happen?”

“What?”

While people chatted about the latest episode of “King of Cards” featured in the new Manapia magazine, a voice called out from elsewhere.

“Isn’t it written on the last page of the magazine?”

As the man mentioned the last section of the magazine, everyone’s gaze turned there.

[Let’s determine the true duel champion! The official tournament for “King of Cards” starts!

Prizes and special rewards will be given to the winner.


The date and location will only be disclosed to those who pass the preliminaries.


The preliminaries will be held on October 6th at the local Yuren Merchant Association branches.]

“Special rewards?”

“Am I the only one thinking this?”

Until now, various smaller tournaments for “King of Cards” had occasionally been held.

In pubs or at the Somerset Goods Store, events were hosted to draw in crowds, with prizes like rare cards always in the mix.

However, the upcoming tournament was officially recognized.

This meant that the Somerset Workshop and the Yuren Merchant Association were hosting the tournament, and if it was a special official event, everyone could only predict one thing.

“Special goods!”

“If I win, my life will completely change!!!”

“I’m going into hardcore training starting today!!!”

Voices and eyes of the crowd began to shine with madness.

And rightly so, even the ordinary goods from Somerset Workshop had skyrocketed in price after being sold out.

Limited edition goods only given out through special lotteries, which were never officially sold, were as difficult to acquire as picking stars from the sky.

Indeed, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to strike it rich.

“This isn’t just luck! If you have skill, you can win it!”

“Exactly! It’s not a lottery or an auction; it’s really about competing through duels!”

Up until now, obtaining limited edition goods was purely a game of chance or finding them in rare auction houses.

However, this was their chance to acquire them through real competition.

Of course, it wasn’t just people aiming for wealth.

“This time, we can finally see who’s truly the best.”

“Lord Yustaf, your record shows you’ve been consistently behind me! The thought of the esteemed Yustaf losing in front of everyone is already breaking my heart.”

Those who regularly battled with cards, clashing day-to-day, were now fueled with competitive spirit, eager to settle the score.

“If our Doujinshi Club doesn’t have a winner, that would be a disgrace!”

All social clubs, including the card game enthusiasts who had transitioned into a club, were ignited with fighting spirit.

As the Empire buzzed with talk of the official card tournament, Esteban’s office on the second floor of the Yuren Merchant Association’s headquarters was incredibly peaceful.

“Shall we start, Young Master?”

“Yes, let’s commence the 10 plus 1 event.”

Sitting on the office sofa and watching the crowd chatter about the tournament outside were Rupert and Esteban.

“Of course, to participate in the tournament, decks must be prepared, and there will be a rush from those who haven’t bought any cards yet.”

Rupert agreed with Esteban’s statement.

While “King of Cards” was indeed trendy across the Empire, not everyone was engaged in card gaming.

“Isn’t that rather undignified?”


“Isn’t that just something for kids?”


“The cost of assembling a decent deck is too high.”

For various reasons, there were still some who had yet to be swept up by the card game craze, and Rupert and Esteban planned to seize this opportunity to introduce them to the game.

Considering past events where even people who had never read comics began purchasing them after entering a comic contest, it was a sound plan.

“If you buy 10 packs, you get 1 extra, so naturally they’d want to buy 10 packs, which would ultimately be a gain.”

Then, without missing the timing for both new customers and existing ones, they planned to host a surprise event to empty their wallets completely.

“The Battle City plan is truly impressive.”

Knowing the true objective of this official duel tournament that people were still unaware of, Esteban felt Rupert’s strategy was genius.

“If, while the Battle City arc is being broadcast, we hold an actual Battle City event in the Empire, it is bound to receive a hot reaction.”

Currently, the next episode of “King of Cards,” which had entered the Battle Island arc, was set to transition into the Battle City arc.

A setting where chosen duelists gathered to compete for the title of the strongest was the literal highlight of the series.

Rupert aimed to carry out this segment within the Empire itself.

Of course, for this to happen, royal assistance was essential, which was why Rupert had sought out the royal family to brief the Emperor on his plans personally.

“The final showdown will take place in the Empire’s coliseum, with the special cards awarded directly by the Emperor, thereby establishing the tournament’s prestige.”

The idea of collaborating with the royal family didn’t come out of nowhere.

To the casual observer, it might seem that only Rupert and the Yuren Merchant Association benefited, but in reality, it was also highly beneficial for the Empire.

‘Granting the Emperor’s endorsement to a tournament that is gaining popularity in the Empire inherently elevates the royal family’s authority.’

It was similar to the prestige of state-certified qualifications in Korea.

Even if it’s just a card game, the immediate acknowledgment by the royal family transforms the glory of winning a jousting tournament into something more magnificent, and conversely, the more they can grant honor, the higher the royal family’s authority became: a mutually beneficial relationship.

“Oh, has time flown by already? I believe I must take my leave now.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

As Rupert got up after checking the time on his pocket watch while discussing future plans with Esteban, he stood up.

“Yes, Lady Amelia invited me to dinner as a thanks for the last demonstration.”

“Oh.”

Rupert’s words elicited an involuntary gasp from Esteban.

‘It seems the Lady Bluewell felt rushed after seeing the competitors at the last demonstration.’

Esteban had clearly witnessed the fierce competition among three women at the recently held demonstration.

“I can’t go empty-handed, so I plan to take a bouquet as a return gift.”

“That should suffice.”

Once Rupert exited the office, Esteban, eager to see what display of romance would unfold between the young man and woman, suddenly recalled something he hadn’t told Rupert.

‘When giving flowers, one must be careful not to give just any type.’

Giving flowers was considered basic etiquette among the upper class, with various meanings tied to different flowers, necessitating a delicate touch in selection.

Knowing that Rupert often lacked common sense in such matters made Esteban a bit worried.