Chapter 17
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I possessed the body of a villainess locked away in a desolate tower. Chapter 17 From that point forward, the work progressed with remarkable speed. Once Ashley took the lead in directing the Apprentice Painters Guild, everything flowed smoothly, like interlocking gears turning in perfect harmony. Even Berymore and the other apprentices, who had initially seemed discontented, threw themselves into their work with renewed vigor once assigned to roles that maximized their individual strengths, their frustration melting away entirely. In any case, passionate people are something else.
"I never expected Ashley to have such talent for task delegation."
Robid, who had privately regarded Ashley as a weak link, brightened considerably at the sight of her transformation.
"Seeing her persevere so tenaciously, it seems she was never a burden I merely tolerated, was she?"
"I too had worried about Robid given my own poor reputation, but it appears my concerns were unfounded. Everyone proved to have their own worth."
Brown and Cedric added their voices to the sentiment. Indeed, though Ashley directed the overall effort, their own disciples were proving themselves brilliantly in the artwork—the very heart of the comic. Knock, knock. A knock sounded at precisely that moment. I watched the elderly masters with their weathered faces blooming like flowers as they exchanged pleasantries, and sensing who the visitor might be, I spoke.
"Come in!"
"Ah, hello."
Ashley entered, looking somewhat fatigued but with a noticeably brighter expression, and bowed respectfully.
"Though it's a bit ahead of schedule, the first volume of 'Safety Precautions of the Eerie Duke's Castle' has been completed."
With those words, Ashley handed me a weighty book. The cover, bound in black leather to match the work's atmosphere, was adorned with elaborate golden thread decorations. With such presentation, it certainly possessed value as a collector's item. 'Let me take a look.' I had only provided the content; I had no idea how it would actually be adapted. The moment I opened the first page with eager anticipation.
"Oh."
I stood speechless, my mouth hanging open. The background that filled nearly the entire first page boasted overwhelming quality. A desolate night sky suffused with chill, ashen mist evoking a somber mood, and in the distance, the faint shadow of a colossal castle. Moreover, the content itself was so engaging that each page made me eager to turn to the next. The localization was flawless. I had worried that the horror genre itself might feel unfamiliar and difficult for people here, but it seemed my concerns were entirely unnecessary. Ashley's direction, the painters' exceptional skill. This culmination of everything was on par with modern webtoons and works considered masterpieces—truly, it was not lacking in the slightest!
"W-what do you think?"
Ashley watched me intently, her expression tense with anticipation. Only then did I notice several painters who had followed Ashley standing just outside the slightly ajar door, their ears pressed against it. It seemed that burning through several nights to meet the deadline had ignited their camaraderie. Regarding the shadows beneath Ashley's eyes with sympathy, I closed the book and rose to my feet.
"Perhaps we should organize a company dinner."
"I'm sorry? What do you... what does that mean?"
"Ah, that's right."
An irregular evening gathering that corporations host merely to appear considerate of their workers—such a thing could never exist in this world. And here I was, entertaining such thoughts when I had once preferred rotting away alone during overtime to getting drunk alongside everyone else. It seemed that working diligently lately had cost me my sense of self. I shook my head vigorously and changed the subject.
"I really must increase your compensation. This work is truly magnificent—far exceeding my expectations!"
Clap, clap, clap! Ashley's eyes widened as I rose to my feet, applauding enthusiastically. Perhaps the atmosphere differed so starkly from when I had viewed Blaire's biography last time for precisely this reason.
"I believe the Grand Duke would be delighted to see this. In fact, I think he would find it quite refreshing."
"Really, truly?"
I meant it sincerely. Since I had already discovered that we shared similar tastes when viewing that previous work, surely the outcome would be the same this time? And I wanted to show him just how meaningful an accomplishment I had achieved.
"Then allow me to deliver it to him."
"...Gasp!"
A shadow had slipped in behind me before I could even react. Liam snatched the book from my hands with infuriating swiftness, tilting his head mockingly. Just how long had he been watching?
"Have you finished reading it?"
"I haven't finished it all, but... well, since it was the Grand Duke who made this work possible in the first place, it's only proper that he sees it first."
As I lowered my head dejectedly, Liam placed the book back into my hands.
"No, that's not it."
"...What?"
"The Grand Duke instructed me to tell you that once you've finished reading, then you should bring it to him."
Grateful for the chance to savor this entertaining work slowly in a quiet place, I answered warmly.
"Ah, then I'll finish it quickly and bring it to him myself! Speaking of which, I should head back right now."
Before I could even finish speaking, my feet were already halfway out the door.
"Everyone worked hard today! Liam, since you were listening anyway, don't forget your bonus!"
"Young lady! Then I shall bring cake and coffee upstairs!"
Bonita, what impeccable timing! My heart racing with anticipation as I headed toward my chamber, I suddenly slowed my pace. It was because I had belatedly noticed Liam's demeanor. ...Could he possibly be trying to keep me in check? * * * Undisturbed for the first time in ages, I spent a blissful afternoon in my chamber with sweet refreshments, coffee, and my comic book. Yet even in that happiness, my mind wandered elsewhere. As I turned the delicate pages, I buried my face in my pillow and cried out.
"Ugh, the quality is so good it's almost unfair...."
Am I really supposed to keep this all to myself? What a waste! I was never particularly altruistic, nor did I care about world peace—I was merely an ordinary citizen. But then!
"Why is this such a waste?"
In truth, countless workers had already been mobilized for the comic's production, so monopolizing this book for myself made no sense whatsoever. And more than that, once I realized the comic book market in this world was a complete blue ocean, I found myself growing increasingly ambitious. If public appeal was the issue, there were methods—just as Korean newspapers had done in the past—such as promoting through serialized comic strips first. 'Besides, even in this world, only a handful of painters ever become famous.' Which meant that painters with such extraordinary talent vanished into history without ever making a name for themselves. I found that terribly wasteful. Ashley herself might have become one of those forgotten painters had she not caught the Grand Duke's eye this time. 'If I seize this opportunity well, I could open far more doors for artists, couldn't I?' As I piled on justification after justification, the project seemed to grow larger and larger. Of course, my inner voice was telling me to stop thinking and rest in bed immediately. But.... I bolted upright. Rising from my bed, I murmured softly to myself.
"Why not? It's not like I'm the one doing it anyway."
They say even a dog at a village school learns poetry after three years—I had reached the level where I could even beatbox. Living a life of servitude had taught me a thing or two. Never step forward yourself. Since comics were unfamiliar to most people here, exposing them through media they encountered frequently was a decent idea. But there was no reason for me to do it myself. Right here, there was...
"What a pity. Then I shall become your first patron."
"...Pardon?"
"Talented individuals deserve opportunities, after all."
A savior for the gifted existed right here! And conveniently, I had the perfect excuse to deliver the comic book.
"Bonita."
"Yes, Miss!"
"Would you ask the Grand Duke if he has time to see me now?"
"Yes, understood!"
Watching Bonita dash out eagerly, I made no effort to hide the sinister smile blooming across my face.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org