Episode 58: The Contest and Adult Manga (4) Fin
Into the Kingdom of Yustia, where the very forefront of visual eros had been the attire of the gods in recently released myth comics.
It had already been several days since an adult manga packed to the brim with desires fiercer and more instinctive than reality itself was thrown into the mix, causing an uproar.
Naturally. Throughout that time, all manner of opinions and endless back-and-forth over the topic had been unavoidable.
“People reproduce anyway, so what’s the problem with putting it down in pictures? You think a wyvern dropped you off or something?!”
“But this is far too explicit and vulgar! Don’t you know that excessive desire must be guarded against?”
“Hmph! So, does reading this manga mean the entire kingdom will fall into debauchery? Over a mere few drawings? What a sheltered bachelor’s way of thinking. Be honest—you don’t have any experience yet, do you?”
“H-how dare you! Watch your tongue!”
Debates of roughly this flavor were unfolding throughout the kingdom.
Could it have been because the people of the Kingdom of Yustia were simply honest about their desires?
Or perhaps because the royal family and the church, having already finished colluding with Wade behind the scenes, saw no particular need to intervene.
In any case, most people had begun voicing support for the stance that [A Journey to Find a Wife], this world’s very first adult manga, was not particularly problematic.
“Honestly, when related shops operate openly like this, isn’t it absurd to make a fuss about something like this? If the kingdom were going to fall into debauchery from such things, it would have happened long ago.”
“Aren’t restrictions enough to keep children from seeing it? Is there any reason to stop adults who already know everything there is to know? We go home and share a bed with our wives, for goodness’ sake.”
“Breeding is a human instinct, and we ourselves were born through it. To rigidly treat it as taboo and obstruct it—is that not an impious denial of not only the Goddess’s command to make love, but also the noble act of life creation?”
“Wait, this issue goes that far…? Anyway, you’re saying the clergy support this too, correct?”
The pro side’s logic was rational and firmly grounded, whereas the opposition’s arguments lacked both evidence and coherence.
Seeing this, it appeared momentum would shift to the pro side without any major issues, but—
“Krk. Then what would Author Wey say if he saw this?! Do you think Author Wey created manga to be used as a tool for venting such desires?!”
“Urk, that’s…”
Even the supporters could not dare refute this lone counterattack.
After all… no one truly knew how Author Wey felt.
Needless to say, it was Author Wey who had created manga—a new cultural marvel—in this world.
Though Author Wey did not draw manga directly, the very idea of its creation was unmistakably his.
And that same Author Wey was still alive and well, both his eyes wide open.
He wielded such influence that he was regarded as an apostle of culture, respected throughout the entire kingdom.
If such a person expressed displeasure toward this adult manga?
If he said he hated that the manga he had created was being used this way at the very contest he hosted?
“What should we do then?”
“I don’t know. Damn it.”
Naturally, people had absolutely no idea how to respond.
A single wrong word could incur the wrath of the entire kingdom.
The opposition focused their attacks on this weakness that could neither be dismissed nor refuted carelessly.
This was why, even though the pro faction held overwhelming superiority and those in power were not interfering in the slightest, the standoff was precariously maintained.
All because of the will of one lone man—Author Wey.
Such was the sheer power of Author Wey’s influence.
However, that balance of opposition did not last long before it crumbled.
“Did Author Wey’s comment drop?!”
“What! Really?”
“It actually dropped, that’s why I’m bringing it!”
It was the official statement from Author Wey that both sides had been eagerly awaiting.
The Commerce Guild had deliberately withheld it, fanning the flames while watching the reactions, and now that public interest had reached its peak, the released comment read:
—I support the expression of primal instinct. And the diversity and possibility within it.—
It contained an extremely brief, yet clear, truth.
“An evaluation comment? And not criticism or a demand for disqualification, but support?”
“Then that means… Author Wey supports adult manga too!”
“As expected! We were right! All you opponents, get lost now!”
A single, simple fact—that he too supported adult manga.
And that alone was enough.
If the balance had been maintained until now because no one knew the mind of this one man.
Then conversely, with that one person’s endorsement, the opposition had no choice but to be wiped out entirely like vampires exposed to sunlight.
Just as when the royal family had approved of arcades, it was but a single sentence, yet it carried tremendous authority as the father of manga and an apostle of culture.
And at timing that seemed precisely calculated for this moment, those in power stepped forward to issue an official declaration that they would not interfere so long as the established boundaries and standards were properly maintained.
“Ahem. Th-that… give me a copy of ‘that’ too.”
“Why is this mixed in here? Huh, how strange. N-no, it’s a hassle to put it back, so just give me one together. Ahem.”
“Could you wrap it in paper you can’t see through?”
Now that there was nothing to hold them back, everyone purchased [A Journey to Find a Wife], albeit with embarrassment.
“Ooh? Oooooh?!”
“I say, are you alright? You’ve gone pale. Are you ill?”
“N-nothing serious. Haha… I simply couldn’t sleep well…”
“Why are there so many people who look like they’d collapse if tapped? Did something happen last night?”
“Something… ah, there was. Last night, I realized the truth of the world and became a true adult.”
“What nonsense is that…?”
Due to a bizarre reason no one could fathom.
It was an inevitable result that people who had stayed up several nights and looked like living zombies began appearing in groups.
And [A Journey to Find a Wife] easily passed its market evaluation and advanced to the final screening.
This, too, was a natural result.
***
“Phew. It seems things wrapped up nicely, thankfully.”
I let out a sigh of relief after checking the report sent by Shylock.
Thankfully, it stated that after my supporting comment was released, matters had been neatly resolved in the direction we had wanted.
Now there would be no more instances of adult manga being condemned in the Kingdom of Yustia.
Without any suppression or censorship whatsoever. It had been accepted wholly and completely.
Had this occurred in my previous life, people would have been howling in every direction.
It could truly be called a cultural triumph.
“Thank you, Count Lucid. The support from you and the royal family was a great help.”
“Forget it. Forget it. How many times have you aided us? We must occasionally help you like this to clear our consciences.”
“Well, it’s not as if we’re doing anything bad. We’re merely trying to share something good together—what’s the point of blocking it? Hahaha!”
At my words of gratitude, Count Lucid burst into a guffaw, flipping through [A Journey to Find a Wife] in one hand.
An elderly count who enjoys reading adult manga.
Even though I was half responsible for creating it, it was truly a sight I could not get used to.
“And mind you, we also gained something from helping.”
“Huh? Did you gain something from this matter?”
“But of course. In order to purchase adult manga, people have to go through that adult verification you proposed, do they not?”
“Right?”
“Without it, even young children could buy it. And that would become a weakness the opposition could attack.”
“I introduced it because I believed some standard was necessary, but how is this beneficial to the royal family?”
“Think carefully. Adult verification means one must present proof of adulthood. And where would one obtain that proof of adulthood?”
“…Huh? Surely not?”
“Naturally, it must be managed and issued directly by the state! And when that happens? Naturally, a census can be conducted together. Then, whether collecting taxes or tracking residents’ movements, there are numerous advantages. Haha! The practical gain is far greater than merely restricting one manga!”
“Wait, it becomes like that?!”
“Good heavens!”
Without even knowing it, I had provided the royal family with grounds for a census.
It might even lead to something akin to resident registration cards or household plaques.
No wonder the royal family cooperated without a fuss. Rather than pointlessly inviting backlash by blocking adult manga and undermining the royal family’s carefully built popularity, they simply permitted it and gained justification for a census.
Justifiably, and secretly enough that no one would notice!
It was truly a stroke of brilliance that made one want to smack their forehead.
“Whew. I really can’t compete. I never imagined there was such an intention behind it. I thought you were simply helping out of goodwill.”
“But of course it was goodwill? We simply took other benefits along the way while we were at it. Rather, I’m puzzled that you stepped forward so actively. This [A Journey to Find a Wife] isn’t even your work, and you don’t particularly stand to gain from it, do you?”
“Well, to be honest, that is true. Still, I suppose I simply wanted to help out like this at least once?”
“You know. They say with great power comes great responsibility.”
“‘The unfortunate hero who actually heard that line, honestly, seems to have enormous responsibility despite not really having that great power.’”
“Anyway, it wasn’t necessarily because I was so moved by those words.”
“My current fame and influence all stem from the readers’ love and support.”
“Then isn’t it only right to use that power at least once for the readers who provided it?”
“Well, it’s not as if I did anything difficult. I merely wrote a single line of supportive commentary.”
“If I can earn the title of Guardian of Adult Manga that will go down in the kingdom’s history over something so small, it’s a profitable trade.”
“Haha. So you stepped forward to repay your debts, is that it?”
“You could say that, if you want to put it that way.”
“Hmm. Indeed, a man must have loyalty and a sense of responsibility. These days, too many youngsters fail to understand that! Back in my day…”
While giving Count Lucid appropriate reactions as he smiled in satisfaction and then suddenly launched into an old-man lecture, I organized the achievements I had gained from this matter.
The implications of adult manga being accepted in this incident were far greater than expected.
“Because it is tantamount to having gained freedom of expression.”
This could not help but affect not merely drawings, but people’s very way of life.
Perhaps you could say it was an increase in openness itself.
It was not that the kingdom would fall into debauchery, as the opposition claimed.
“Truly, people have simply become a bit more free.”
And that freedom would accelerate the development of culture.
Just as it had in the original history.
Just as specific genres could become motivation for writing, erotic material could sufficiently serve as motivation for cultural development.
In that sense.
[A Journey to Find a Wife] was likely half-confirmed as the winner of this contest.
It had, in fact, drawn enormous interest and popularity from people.
“The Commerce Guild could not possibly abandon such a hot product.”
There was no competition in the same field at all.
The sales were good, the buzz was overwhelming, and it was running solo without any competitors? Then of course it must win.
Which made me once again curious about the author who had created this sensational work.
“Should I try meeting them through the Commerce Guild?”
I briefly entertained the thought before shaking my head to dismiss it.
It somehow felt like a bad idea.
It might be jumping to conclusions, but would someone who draws this kind of adult manga truly want their identity revealed?
“If it were me, I don’t think I would…”
Of course, the standards of my previous life and this world differed, and I did not know that author’s personality.
There usually are not many people who proudly reveal that they draw adult manga.
Therefore, I had no intention of deliberately exposing the author’s identity and shaming them.
Besides, if they won, we would naturally meet then. There was no need to force a meeting beforehand and wear each other out.
Moreover, there was a more important matter right now than meeting the author of [A Journey to Find a Wife].
“The prototype for the game submitted to the contest is complete? Can I play it right now?!”
The news had arrived that the prototype for the game entered in the contest was complete.
This I cannot wait for!