Chapter 56: The Contest and Adult Comics (2)
“Huh? Uh? No, why is this here?”
“Kihit? Is something the matter, Author Wei?”
“Ah, no, it’s nothing.”
Faced with an otherworldly adult comic at a timing I never could have expected,
only questions that failed to take shape circled in my mouth before vanishing.
That was how shocking it was.
Instinctively flinching, I hid the comic faster than the eye could follow so Shylock wouldn’t see it.
Then, when Shylock turned his gaze away, I shielded it with my body so I wouldn’t be caught and secretly took another quick look at the comic in question.
‘It really is an adult comic. This thing!’
For a moment, I wondered if it might be some illusion projected by my unconscious desires, emotionally starved from the semi-forced abstinent life I’d lived for the nineteen years since reincarnating into this world.
But the combination of a cover featuring a half-naked beautiful girl striking a seductive pose and the title [Journey to Find a Wife] was unmistakably an adult comic.
Moreover, when it came to adult comics, there were usually comparatively mild versions that could pass in the light of day,
and spicy versions that were basically aggregates of desire, accepted only in the shadows.
‘At a glance, this is definitely spicy.
And a fairly serious one at that.’
To put it simply, it was somewhere between Shin X-myun and Buldak, I’d say.
Of course, compared to my previous life, deeper elements like the art style, composition, and fetish appeal were somewhat lacking.
But that couldn’t be helped, since in this world, where comics had only recently begun to sprout, there hadn’t yet accumulated a long history of research and analysis into human desire like in my previous life.
‘So if you just look at the drawings, you might mistake it for a mild version fit for the surface world.’
But… how should I put it… There’s such a thing as the author’s intent you can feel from a work, isn’t there?
And when I examined the author’s intent contained within this work through my hack-job mind-reading method based on the big data from my previous life,
it was so packed full of desire that this was absolutely not mild.
I could stay calm only because I had memories of my previous life.
To the people of this world, who had no tolerance, it was probably a lump of Buldak Mara-level capsaicin.
‘Whoa, holy crap. They’re using the wings of the birdfolk like that.’
On top of that, the contents of [Journey to Find a Wife] even covered a wide variety of races.
I didn’t know who they were, but it was clear that the author who drew [Journey to Find a Wife] was an extremely open-minded person.
With feelings half admiration and half shock, I tried to examine it a little more closely, but perhaps I had focused too much on the comic.
“Kuhihihit! As expected, you recognized that work too, Author—the [Journey to Find a Wife].”
“Ah.”
Because I forgot I was supposed to be hiding it from Shylock, I got caught looking at the adult comic.
It wasn’t as if I’d done anything wrong, but as I was smiling awkwardly from some inexplicable embarrassment,
Shylock spoke to me with a sly grin.
“Kehehehet. As expected, Author, a man is still a man.
I understand. If you’re a man, your eyes naturally can’t help but be drawn to that work.
In truth, when I first saw it, I ended up reading it intently for nearly an hour without being able to look away. Kukekekek.”
By forming a sense of camaraderie that it was only natural for a man to react that way, he covered for my embarrassment,
while also emphasizing that [Journey to Find a Wife] was a work that he and the contest organizers were paying special attention to.
And after making that appeal,
he instantly wiped away his lecherous grin, changed into the face of a seasoned merchant, and did not forget to add cautiously.
“It is a unique and distinctive work, so we selected it because we thought it might aid the development of a new culture.
But if it may become a problem, or if you, Author, find it unpleasant, we will cancel it.”
“Huh? You can do that? Wasn’t it a work you had your eye on?”
“That is true, but your wishes come first, Author.
As the father of comics, the one who created the medium of comics, if you say you find it unpleasant that comics are being used as an outlet for such desires,
should we not naturally respect that opinion?”
“Does it really work like that…?”
No, it was true that I had been the first to introduce comics to this world, but did that mean I could meddle and nitpick someone else’s work like that?
Wondering if it was just lip service, I looked at Shylock’s face, only to find an extremely solemn and serious expression.
It seemed clear that he wasn’t saying empty words, but genuinely thought that way.
Since it seemed to be a completely sincere question, I hurriedly answered with sincerity as well.
“Let me make this clear first.
Regarding works like [Journey to Find a Wife], I feel absolutely! Not even this much! dissatisfaction or displeasure.”
To prevent any possible misunderstanding, I firmly drove the point home that I was not displeased at all.
For starters, I myself was merely in the position of having copied comics from my previous life, so I had no right to make comments about someone else’s work,
nor did I particularly intend to.
Why would I block the development of a culture that was growing just fine on its own?
‘The appearance of adult comics?
If anything, favorite!’
I was happy they had appeared on their own before I had to step in.
Was I displeased that comics were being used as a means to release desire?
Ha! As if!
“Sexual desire is an element that has an immense influence on cultural development.”
To be blunt, desire is the motive force that develops culture.
Novels, comics, games—all of them are like that.
Because people want to soothe their tired hearts in a relaxed and comfortable way, the everyday healing genre appears.
Because people want to feel the vicarious satisfaction of smoothly succeeding at everything without obstacles, the overpowered catharsis genre is born.
And not only that. It is the same in every other field as well—cooking, fashion, singing, and so on.
Culture originally develops in the direction led by desire.
And among the many kinds of desire, sexual desire is a top-tier desire worthy of being called one of the big three.
‘Considering that in my previous life as well, all sorts of cultures and industries rapidly developed in order to satisfy this thing called sexual desire…’
I had absolutely no intention of ignoring or rejecting it.
Did my resolve get through to him?
Shylock once again changed his expression into a sly grin and said,
“Oho. If that is the case, then I am relieved.
To be honest, it would have been a shame to give up on this work as it is.
As expected of someone who has earned the reputation of being an apostle of culture.
To think you would consider the development of culture to such an extent.”
“Oh, not at all. I said it grandly, but I just want to enjoy good works too.
However, if there’s one thing that worries me, it’s that I don’t know how other people will receive this [Journey to Find a Wife].”
I had gladly let it pass,
but what if the majority of others avoided it, saying it was too vulgar and explicit?
Honestly, by this world’s standards, it was a work that had appeared rather abruptly.
“Didn’t [Mythological Tales in Comics], which was released in cooperation with the Church not long ago, have a fair degree of exposure as well?
Wouldn’t people have grown used to that much by now?”
“Hmm, that is true.
But there’s a slightly ambiguous part to it.”
After all, with mythology, no matter how erotic the outfits were,
you could gloss over it by saying,
‘That’s just how the gods dress, isn’t it? It’s historically accurate, isn’t it?’
or,
‘If a god does that, what right does a human have to talk back?’
But in this case, where I couldn’t use the gods as a shield, I couldn’t quite predict what the reaction would be…
I wanted to avoid strict regulations as much as possible, but that didn’t mean I could completely ignore public opinion either.
As I was pondering how to walk this subtle tightrope,
Shylock gave a small laugh and tossed out a remark as if I were worrying over the strangest thing.
“Ah, so that was what you were worried about?
For that, I believe it would likely be enough if you simply said, ‘Isn’t this much all right?’”
“What? Why?”
“Because your influence is that great, Author.”
“???”
For a moment, I froze, unable to understand what Shylock was saying.
So this was a problem that could be solved if I simply said one word that it was fine? Really?
How was that possible?
Had I acquired the authority of normalization without realizing it?
As I stood there frozen in utter bewilderment,
Shylock explained, surprised in return as if asking whether I truly hadn’t known.
“It seems you do not quite feel your own fame, Author.”
“Is that so…?”
“It is not for nothing that even the clergy call you an apostle of culture.
I cannot speak for other matters, but when it comes to anything related to culture, you may consider your words to have truly absolute influence.”
…It seemed I had underestimated the value of my own name a little.
I thought I had been fairly aware of it.
But a complicated issue related to explicit content could be solved in one stroke by a single word from me?
‘Then am I the protector of otherworldly adult comics?’
Grrrr! I can’t resist!
How could I possibly resist such an outrageous and freaking amazing title?!
It was undoubtedly a title that would be praised for all eternity in the kingdom!
Having thought that far, I no longer hesitated and stamped [Journey to Find a Wife] with a pass—bam, bam!
Make sure you survive and make it all the way to the final judging!
‘Ah, while I’m at it, I should do some groundwork through Duke Lucid too.’
If I cozy up to the higher-ups in advance and get our stories straight, there won’t be any complaints later.
There’s no harm in making anything certain.
And so, with a slightly adorable bit of behind-the-scenes maneuvering, along with my guarantee comment,
the other world’s first adult comic, [Journey to Find a Wife], would be presented to the people.