Episode 5: Publication and Preparing a New Work
Whether she knew or not that, in my head, I was kindling the spark of a revolution that would fundamentally reform this world’s culture—
When I readily accepted her proposal,
Aria began rejoicing and thanking me as if it were her own affair.
“Thank you for allowing it, Author!
Honestly, isn’t it absurd for only us to know about this masterpiece?
Now that you have given your permission, the entire nation will be able to read it. What could be more joyous than that?”
She said she had already felt regretful that her lacking performance could not fully bring out the fun of this book.
That she had kept quiet because she worried she might only trouble me unnecessarily, but now that the original work could be spread like this, it was a blessing upon the nation.
She started buttering me up so hard that it was beyond excessive.
Perhaps because I had just thought of the term “Cultural Revolution.”
Even while watching a hugely popular superstar praise me, the first thing that came to mind was not pride, superiority, or embarrassment.
‘Red Guards…?’
It was the name of the infamous Red Team’s royal guard.
“Aaagh! No commie dictators!”
“Pardon…?”
“Forbidden! It’s forbidden!
Praise that gets emphasized and repeated like that makes an author anxious!”
“Pardon?”
Aria tilted her head as if wondering what the problem was with making a bit of a fuss over praise.
She said she had heard far more exaggerated expressions from nobles, and that this was, if anything, considered a virtue.
She seemed unable to understand my declaration of prohibition.
But I had no intention of backing down at all.
‘You have to get these things under control early.’
For an author, fans are certainly the driving force behind creation, and precious beings one ought to be grateful to more than anyone except one’s parents.
But when they become the occasional extremist fan, the story changes a little.
‘Even in my past life, overzealous defenders and toxic fans often became a problem.’
Even if what they do comes from fan sentiment without malice,
once something is deified like that, it prevents legitimate criticism, and even prevents anyone from making something similar.
Considering that my goal is to lead and spread the culture of my past life, cause a cultural revolution, and obtain works for myself to enjoy,
there is nothing good about toxic fans appearing and suppressing that cultural revolution.
‘Those kinds of toxic fans haven’t appeared yet, and there’s no guarantee they will.
Still, I should make sure to lay down the rules in advance.’
Revolutions, after all, tend to collapse from one tiny hole within.
Therefore, overly excessive and fussy praise is forbidden.
Especially Aria, with her fame and popularity, could exert tremendous influence on others, so she had to be even more careful.
Regardless of her own intentions, people might use her with logic like, “Even the superstar Lady Aria approved of it, so who do you think you are?”
“I see. Author, you are even humble!
Understood. It is regrettable that I cannot properly express your genius, but as you said, I will be careful not to overdo it.”
Well, Aria seemed to have interpreted my ban a little differently.
“Let’s go with that…”
I simply let it pass.
It was not a topic that would benefit from digging any deeper.
As long as the meaning got across, it was fine.
“Come to think of it, you’ve been calling me Author since earlier.”
“I cannot keep calling someone who wrote something like this ‘Young Master’ forever.
Does it make you uncomfortable?”
“No, it’s not uncomfortable.”
How should I put it? Being called by a title I had thought I would never hear in my life felt awkward.
It was a little embarrassing, but considering the path I would take from now on, it was something I had to get used to.
In any case.
“Then, since things are roughly settled, what should I do now?”
Since I had given permission to publish and distribute “Betrayal Hero,” I wondered if my role was over just like that.
“If it is all right with you, could you accompany me to the capital?
Duke Lucid wishes to meet you once, Author.”
Suddenly, I received a summons from a duke.
“…You did promise that no harm would come to me, right?”
Please, I hope this is not a plan to trick me out and quietly cut me down.
***
Honestly, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t afraid to follow Aria.
One wrong move and I could be changing jobs from human to dullahan.
And not even a real dullahan, but a knockoff one who couldn’t move with his head cut off and would simply hit game over on the spot.
However, when one of the most powerful people in the country called me over just to see my face, I wasn’t stupid enough to dig in my heels and refuse.
Besides, this matter was fairly important too.
So, with the mindset that I might as well turn myself in and find salvation, I obediently followed Aria up to the capital.
And fortunately, truly fortunately,
just as Aria had said, the duke had not called me to harvest my neck.
“Good to meet you. I am Verhel, the current head of House Lucid.
Are you the author of ‘Betrayal Hero,’ which Lady Aria praised so highly?”
“Yes, y-yes. I am Wade of the Byron Viscountcy.”
“Hohoho! I was curious what the author who completely captivated Lady Aria, my longtime idol, would look like, and you are younger than I expected.
To create such a story at such a young age already. Truly remarkable. Remarkable!”
Duke Verhel Lucid, whose hale vigor made it hard to believe he was seventy this year,
welcomed me kindly, without pressuring me with the force that came from his title and authority.
‘I was worried when I heard he was a longtime fan of Aria.
But I don’t really feel like he’s trying to keep me in check.’
From a fan’s perspective, if a star they liked took a liking to someone else, it would be natural to feel somewhat displeased.
Whether it was because he was old, or because he himself had enjoyed my work, thankfully I received no such interference.
As far as I knew, he had been His Majesty the current king’s teacher when he was crown prince, and even now served as something like an advisor.
‘For someone with the background of a living incarnation of power, he has quite an easygoing air, doesn’t he?’
Thanks to that, the discussion of business also proceeded smoothly and without heaviness.
“This may sound somewhat unpleasant to you as the author,
but some parts need to be revised or additionally supplemented.
So that the protagonists appear a little more dramatic and virtuous, you see.
You understand what I mean, yes?”
Duke Lucid cautiously requested that parts of the content be revised and added to.
Hmm.
I roughly understood.
Your goal, that is.
‘So you want me to season it a little so that the royal family, the motif for the protagonists, gets criticized less and receives more sympathy and support.’
If that was all, it wasn’t particularly difficult.
It was something I had been aiming for when I wrote “Betrayal Hero” in the first place.
If I earned points by portraying the royal family favorably, that would be good for me too.
But it wouldn’t be free.
“Understood. In exchange, please grant a few of my requests as well.”
“Oh? Conditions? Are you saying you cannot do it for free? Even though it is a request from the royal family?”
“No, isn’t it unfair to put it that way?”
If you suppress me with power like that, a common little citizen like me has no choice but to provide labor for free.
Then it wouldn’t be a cultural revolution—I’d have to start a real revolution!
“Hahahaha! I was joking.
Neither I nor the royal family are beggars, after all.
As long as the conditions are not too excessive, of course we should accept them.”
After laughing heartily and saying it was a joke, the duke asked what my demands were.
I stated the requests I had thought of one by one.
“First is a request for copyright protection.”
“Copyright protection? You mean you want the rights to the book you wrote to be guaranteed?”
“Precisely.
To be more exact, I mean that I want it managed so that my book cannot be printed or sold without my permission.”
Copyright protection.
In my past life, it was already a commonly established concept.
But in this world, where the publishing market was only now beginning in earnest, even the concept itself probably had not yet been established.
You could roughly tell just by looking at how minstrels all recycled the same stories.
What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is yours—a fantastic sharing economy.
If I didn’t want to suffer in this hell of unauthorized theft, I needed to borrow the power of authority and establish the standard called copyright.
‘In a large-scale project like this, circulating books throughout the nation,
there is no way no one will try to cut in midway.’
I had no intention of taking a loss while fattening up those people.
And if those people copied it however they wanted and sold it at a high price,
it would obviously interfere with the plan of having as many people as possible read it.
“If it is something like that, of course I should accept.”
The duke seemed to understand and accepted that immediately.
I then went straight to the most important request.
“And I would appreciate it if you would provide similar assistance for the new works I write in the future.”
“What! You intend to write new works as well?!”
“Author, are you planning to write a new work too?! Already?!”
The duke and Aria were startled when I said I would be writing a new work already.
Then, with a broad smile, the duke declared his approval.
“Do not worry! I will take responsibility and protect the copyrights to your works!
If there may be another outstanding work like ‘Betrayal Hero,’ then of course I must help!”
“Exactly. Exactly.
Author, please do not worry about anything and focus solely on your writing!”
Mm, it seemed both of them really liked the story of “Betrayal Hero” I had written.
…If my next work flopped, they wouldn’t tear me apart in reverse, would they?
A strange pressure came through the duke’s gaze.
The answer to this was a reverse charge!
Let’s hurry up, wrap up the conversation, and run.
“Ah, lastly, I would appreciate it if you could introduce me to the Publishing Guild.
Not only for this matter, but because we will have to cooperate regarding my new works as well.”
“An easy matter. We had already decided to entrust this matter to the Publishing Guild, so I will contact them right away.”
My final request, to be introduced to the Publishing Guild, naturally passed as well.
Perhaps because the duke contacted them personally,
things went smoothly at the Publishing Guild afterward too.
It was said that the publishing industry had recently been growing explosively and that the Publishing Guild was increasing in power day by day.
‘But we have the royal family and the duke backing us, you know?’
If they’re told to do it, they have to do it, right?
“The goal is to distribute ‘Betrayal Hero’ throughout the nation as cheaply as possible.
I am not saying you should make no profit, but please set the margin as low as possible.”
So the negotiation over the price of the published book passed easily as well.
“No, why would you sell such a wonderful book cheaply?
Precious things are naturally supposed to carry value equal to their worth!”
The guildmaster, who had come as the representative of the Publishing Guild, protested that something valuable ought to be sold for a high price.
But since it did not fit the royal family’s goal or mine, it was immediately rejected.
Well, I understood.
If this had been some limited-edition ancient grimoire, of course I would have sold it for as much as I could.
‘But it isn’t, is it?’
The goal of the royal family and myself was to have as many people as possible read “Betrayal Hero.”
In addition, I was aiming to spread culture through it and bring about derivative works that I might enjoy reading.
But if we sold it at a high price so that not just anyone could read it,
wouldn’t that reduce the probability of interesting books appearing accordingly?
‘Wasn’t there a saying that in China, Messi is plowing a field?’
Just like that saying, a poor farmer might have been born with the makings of a genius author.
Of course we had to set the price so that such people could see it too.
It was a similar context to why I had requested copyright protection from the duke earlier.
“Ah, that does not mean I am telling you to dump the price or sell at a loss.”
Selling at an outright loss wouldn’t do either.
People had to know that writing and selling could make money for them to jump in.
In the end, finding the proper line was what mattered.
“…Understood. Adjusting it will be somewhat difficult, but I will try to match it as much as possible.”
The guildmaster found it difficult, but in any case, he agreed.
“…Um, and if it would not be rude, could I ask you to sign this first printed first edition?”
“…Were you a fan of mine?”
“How could anyone read a story like this and not become a fan!”
By signing a copy for the guildmaster, who turned out to be my fan,
all of my work came to an end.
***
The work I had to handle as the original author was more or less finished.
The actual practical work would be handled by the royal family and the duke’s side.
Then, what should I do while things were underway?
“I suppose I should prepare my new work.”
“At last!
What sort of fresh and shocking writing are you planning this time?!”
The moment I declared that I would write a new work,
Aria, who had been beside me, rushed in with her eyes sparkling brightly.
Ah, for reference, Aria had decided to stay by my side for the time being.
She was also the pipeline connecting me and the duke.
And she said she wanted to watch and help with my writing activities from beside me.
‘It is a little burdensome.’
But since she was a minstrel with decades of experience, she had a wealth of all sorts of knowledge, and I thought she might help with my writing, so I allowed it.
From the side, would it feel something like a secretary?
I wondered if it was all right for me to monopolize a nationwide superstar like this.
Well, what could I do when she herself liked it?
Anyway.
That aside, what kind of writing would I do?
“The contents haven’t been clearly decided yet, but I have decided what genre I’ll write.”
The content and development would require a little more thought.
But for now, the genre was—
“A romance novel.”
The time had come to unleash romance novels upon this world.