Chapter 72
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A villainess locked away in a desolate tower—I had possessed her body. Chapter 72 "Oh, what's that?"
I adjusted the shawl she'd draped over my shoulders and pointed to a stack of documents that looked important at first glance.
"Hehe, it's a letter from Baroness Fabron."
I'd sensed it was about time, and sure enough. She never failed to meet my expectations.
"Wow, there's really a lot of content today too."
I naturally stepped inside and strolled through the corridor, leisurely reviewing the letter's contents. Baroness Fabron. Ever since she joined the manga production, my schedule had become considerably lighter than before. To explain the overall process: the Baroness would establish the basic framework of the story, I would review it and pass it to the artists, Ashley would adapt it, and then it would be produced as manga.... Because she understood not only the story of the work but the characters completely, and performed far better than expected, my workload had dramatically decreased! 'This time too, there's barely anything left for me to handle?' Whether she'd always been meticulous and remarkably creative, Baroness Fabron was growing by leaps and bounds with each passing day. Still, it was only natural to observe how things operated on-site directly. The restriction on going out (?) had finally been lifted after so long, and I thought I should at least see the faces of people I hadn't seen in a while and greet them.
"I should go to Ashley right away!"
Just thinking of the artists who always welcomed me warmly lifted my spirits. I quickened my pace with a bright expression. * * * After the manga business began thriving. Blaire Grand Duke had given one of the large annex buildings within the Grand Duke's Residence to the artists. As I headed toward the annex, excited at the prospect of chatting with Ashley, the moment I stepped into the building, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. 'What's going on? Why do everyone's faces look so dark?' Pushing aside my ominous premonition, I sought out Ashley, but her expression was no different from the others. Ever since Ashley took the helm of manga production, she'd tried not to display trivial emotions....
"...Ah, Young Lady."
Ashley's face was completely lifeless.
"Ashley, what on earth has happened?"
Instinctively sensing this wasn't the moment for pleasantries, I stepped closer to her.
"Something bad clearly occurred, didn't it?"
After remaining silent with her head bowed for a while, Ashley began relaying what had transpired, her tone cautious.
"It's that...."
Though her words came in fragments, what she was trying to convey was this: 'All the young painters suddenly stopped working as if they'd made a pact.' Could this possibly be understood by any rational standard? Even hearing about it secondhand left me utterly dumbfounded.
"When I ask what the problem is, I get no answer, and already five people have packed their belongings and left the Grand Duchy."
Whether being summoned by the Empress and receiving her praise had served as motivation, the artists had been accelerating their pace since then. All work had been progressing at that pace, and the connected merchandise business was still operating smoothly. In other words, everything was moving at a brisk pace, but the people themselves had fallen through the cracks. To maintain the manga production speed, I needed to hire at least five more people—and even that would be tight. Yet in this situation, five people had actually quit? Could it be they thought the wages were too low for the amount of work? Such things weren't unheard of even in South Korea, so I cautiously broached the subject.
"Have you considered raising their wages?"
"I didn't want to play that card from the start, since it would likely trigger a cascade of wage negotiations, but...."
She shook her head, gripping the hem of her dress tightly.
"As the situation grew more serious, of course I tried that too. It didn't help."
These fledgling painters, barely experienced, had stubbornly rejected even an offer to raise their wages? And even now, outside, I could hear the voices of senior painters desperately trying to stop someone from leaving.
"...The painters handling line art, coloring, and post-processing all by themselves can manage the work itself, but losing the support staff who handled minor tasks has only increased the burden on those remaining."
It was an obvious conclusion. The one who had been ground down before we even began serious hiring was Ashley herself. It was something I wanted to avoid at all costs, having vivid memories of the faces of those who had initially handled manga production.
"Accumulated fatigue could actually cause problems with production itself."
"Yes... but we can't just hire anyone either."
Collaboration and communication were the most essential virtues in manga production. Of course, artistic skill itself mattered, but there was inevitably much need for frequent face-to-face interaction and sometimes filling in each other's gaps. However, most people showing interest in manga and diving into it were either lacking in skill or had been expelled from the industry for causing problems. And why was that? 'Because lonely artists had pointed fingers at successful commercial manga painters, accusing them of selling their art for mere pennies.' Those struggling to put food on the table had at least managed to make a living thanks to manga, yet among artists, manga was still considered second-rate. Of course, when the three senior painters who had come to the Grand Duchy under the Blaire Grand Duke's scouting initially submitted a joint protest, I had apologized and released a statement... But such perceptions didn't change easily. Historically, newly emerged art forms had always faced ridicule anyway. In any case.
"Until we can hire someone truly competent, the painters in charge will have no choice but to suffer... This really isn't good."
Ashley let out a sigh so heavy it seemed the earth might crack, rubbing her weary eyes. But as I listened to her story, a thought crossed my mind. 'This is sudden and bewildering, but perhaps I'm facing early what was bound to happen eventually.' No painter ever wants to remain merely a support artist. After all, the universal rule in this world was to train for a long time under a renowned master, then strike out independently to pursue one's own creative path. In that context, "Safety Guidelines for Goedam Duchy," which had formed such a devoted fanbase that it shook not just the Empire but the entire Continent, would certainly be an excellent training ground for building a career. But how long would this last? Having participated in serializing a popular work, many would naturally burn with the desire to serialize their own creations. So this was an inevitable sequence. Eventually, the day would come when I'd have to let such people go. 'As a reader, I should actually be excited that my choices are expanding.' Of course, that was a problem for the future, and this situation was certainly unnatural. It was definitely strange that fledgling painters, having worked less than two months and barely having learned anything, would all quit at once.
"If there's anything I can help with, please tell me anytime, Ashley."
"Of course. I'm always grateful for your thoughtfulness, Young Lady. I feel terrible for showing you such a weak side of myself."
She smiled lightly, returning to her composed demeanor. I handed over the letter that Baroness Fabron had sent me and briefly shared my thoughts on the matter.
"By the way, Young Lady, you're truly remarkable. You returned to the workshop the moment the work restriction was lifted."
"...Well, that is..."
"It means you have genuine passion for your work, doesn't it? I feel the same way."
As I fumbled for words in my confusion, I noticed Ashley's expression had darkened again, and I furrowed my brow.
"...We'll need to gather staff for the Manga Workshop soon. Or perhaps we should ask Liam for assistance?"
"Yes, I was already planning to do that."
After hearing Ashley's response, I offered her some encouragement and left the Annex Building. But then.
"We have a serious problem, Miss!"
Another crisis crashed down upon me like a towering wave.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org