Episode 6: The Success of the Plan and a Forbidden Romance (1)
The reason I decided on romance as the genre for my next work was extremely simple.
There was only one reason, without any unnecessary add-ons.
“Because people liked it and wanted it.”
Because that was the genre the times demanded.
In other words, there was demand.
Why am I saying something so obvious in such a solemn way?
In case you’ve forgotten, let me emphasize this again: this world’s entertainment culture still hasn’t properly begun to take shape.
‘Which means they don’t even know what they want or what they like.’
Because until now, such things didn’t exist.
It was like a completely blank sheet of white paper.
A person who doesn’t know salt exists can’t crave saltiness.
Just as a dragon who doesn’t know what cars are can’t realize that sleeping in one is its preference.
Maybe later, once the cultural revolution I’m attempting has made some progress.
But right now, I have to supply something to that utterly clueless blank slate.
And if that’s the case, rather than supplying just anything at random, shouldn’t I obviously choose the side where demand exists first?
“And normally, once you become famous, people will applaud even if you bring out goblin dung.
But conversely, before you become famous, you need to properly survey demand.”
“Mm. That’s certainly true.
The less fame you have, the more your skill matters.
Conversely, the greater your fame becomes, the more your skill is relatively obscured.”
As expected of a bard with decades of experience. She understands quickly.
Just as Aria said, my fame and authority were not at the level of state power yet—far from it. I didn’t even know if they reached the level of city power.
So I had to do at least this much demand research.
Then, out of all the many genres, why was romance the only one whose demand stood out?
“Ah! I think I know this one too!
It’s because of the love story between the Hero and the Demon King, the protagonists of ‘The Betrayed Hero,’ right? Am I right?”
“Esacta! Correct.
I didn’t aim for it, but people seem to be showing far more interest and enthusiasm in that part than I expected.”
It was thanks to my previous work, “The Betrayed Hero.”
To be precise, people were showing heated interest in the love between the Hero and the Demon King, transcending species and factions.
What was the reason the royal family became convinced they could reveal the founding king’s secret right away?
“Because people had begun to see the Demon King not as a simple force of evil, but as the protagonist’s helper and rightful lover.”
In short, her image had been properly laundered.
Is this the power of love? Amazing!
As for how invested people are in this pairing right now...
‘Still, isn’t she the Demon King? The Hero marrying the Demon King is a bit... isn’t it?’
If someone so much as made a comment like that,
‘You fucking racist!’
‘Are you perhaps a descendant of the companions who betrayed the Hero?’
‘I feel sorry for you, not knowing love!’
That was roughly the kind of reaction they’d get.
In a way, you could call it excessive immersion.
But that just meant people were completely absorbed in love stories and wanted them.
“In other words, demand is being duplicated!”
Who wouldn’t write romance after this?
Wow, that would be stubborn. Truly stubborn.
‘But that’s not me.’
I colluded with the trends faster than anyone.
And so the genre of my new work was decided as romance.
“And I think the direction and thematic elements of the story are more or less decided too.”
“Truly? Could you tell me as well?”
“Of course. If you look at what part of people’s demand stems from, you’ll understand right away.”
What is the core reason people are currently so invested in the romance between the Hero and the Demon King?
“Taboo!”
After thinking for a moment, Aria pointed out the correct answer with an excited face.
“I think the key part was that it was a forbidden love transcending species and factions!”
“You’ve really struck the heart of it.
That’s right. Taboo! Forbidden love! That’s the core point of the next work.”
I gave light praise to Aria, who was making a face like a hamster hoping to be complimented, and continued my explanation.
Yes.
In the current fervor, the element of “taboo” was clearly playing an important role.
Human and demonkind.
Hero and Demon King.
Because two people who stood opposed in both species and faction achieved love despite it being forbidden.
That’s why people are this enthusiastic.
Humans are contrarians by nature; tell them not to do something, and they’ll go, “Don’t mind if I do.”
Even the Bible, the mega-hit lifetime bestseller from my previous life, began with Adam and Eve plucking and eating the fruit of knowledge despite being told not to.
That was how much taboo had been, since ancient times, like a 2 a.m. late-night snack tempting people.
If it’s that good, then shouldn’t I naturally make use of it too?
How would I use it?
‘This is where we use K-drama.’
I’m not talking about a makjang drama.
Love transcending social class.
In professional terms, I mean a style with a Cinderella story mixed in.
In Korea in my previous life, there was no caste system, so they emphasized the invisible, intangible class gap between chaebols and commoners.
‘But this world is unquestionably a medieval fantasy world where nobles and commoners are divided, and the class system is alive and well.’
So wouldn’t the picture look pretty good if I took forbidden love between a noble and a commoner as the theme?
For nobles, it would offer passionate and devoted love that overcomes the gap in status.
For commoners, it would offer romance and vicarious satisfaction.
It could appeal to both reader demographics at the same time.
‘And since this is a fantasy world in name as well as reality, if I stir in a spoonful of romance-fantasy sentiment...’
Wouldn’t a fairly effective work come out?
With the broad theme roughly decided like that,
I began writing out the detailed settings and story.
This was where Aria and my younger sister Lena gave quite a lot of help.
“Author, about this part where he compliments how well the clothes suit her.
Wouldn’t it be better if he stopped moving for a moment, as though slightly dazed, and then spoke while forcing himself to act indifferent?
Of course, with descriptions added so the heroine and readers can notice it clearly.”
“Oppa, are you stupid? Here, you need to show a clearer signal that he was worried about the heroine!
In an urgent situation like this, showing his true feelings without hiding them works better.”
They gave feedback from the perspective of female readers, which I had failed to grasp.
“And now this is where the male lead loses his memory!”
“Brother, have you actually gone insane? Should I call a priest?
You’ve finally progressed their relationship this far, so why are you suddenly trying to reset it all back to zero?!
Do you want to torment the heroine that badly?!”
“Whoa, whoa. Calm down, my sister.
There’s a rational reason for all of this.”
“What is it?
If you spout nonsense like, ‘Because... it’s fun,’ again, I’m not helping you anymore.”
“But if I do this, I can give them an additional trial and create tension.
On top of that, I can emphasize the greatness of love by showing that even if his memories disappear, love remains.”
“Argh! The reason is actually rational, so it pisses me off even more!”
“Don’t worry too much.
The amnesia will be recovered quickly.
It’s important to keep the sweet potatoes short and the cider fast.”
“What are you talking about, sweet potatoes and cider now...? Sigh, do whatever you want.”
“Um, Author? Then what role does this noble lady in the position you called the villainess have?”
“Ah, for now, you can think of her as an antagonist who threatens the heroine’s place.
She plays an important role in creating conflict between the protagonists and drawing out tension.
And...”
“Is there something else?”
“Mm, she’s a character I added with a separate aim in mind.
But that aim has nothing to do with this new work itself.
So you only need to know the characteristics I mentioned earlier.”
They also helped check the settings and plot ideas I inserted here and there.
Thanks to Aria and Lena, the book’s completeness probably rose by around 15%.
As a bonus, I also got a little closer to Aria during that time, so I started calling her without honorifics.
Anyway, since I had received that much help,
the right to read the completed new work, [I Became the Ice Duke’s Maid], first naturally went to Aria and Lena.
And after they read it all the way to the end in one sitting, even skipping their meal...
“Phew—haa—phew—haa—”
“Are you all right, Miss Aria?”
“Ah, my apologies, Author.
The contents made my heart pound so much that I couldn’t help it.
My breathing grew ragged without me realizing.
I’m fine now.”
“Ah, that’s a relief.
Then, what did you think of the contents?”
“Of course, it was wonderful beyond compare!
I never imagined I would end up cheering this hard for someone else’s love, not even my own!
And they’re not even real people. I even had some grasp of the contents while helping you write it.
Even so, I think I was so immersed that I cheered them on without being able to breathe properly.”
“Ahaha. I’m glad you seem to have enjoyed it.
Lena, what about you?”
“...Well, it was decent enough this time too.”
“Hm? That’s all? Really?”
“Then what else do you want me to say when that’s how I felt?”
“But your face is really red.”
“...Shut up! Fine! My heart was pounding like crazy while I read it, happy?!
Even though I’m not one of the people involved, just a reader watching from the side.
It made me feel all warm and fluttery and angry and sad, like I was the one in love! Why! Got a problem with that?!”
“Uh... no...?
That... Thanks?”
“Hmph!”
Both of them, their faces dyed red and even their breathing rough, exclaimed in admiration, saying it was heart-pounding content.
Unlike Aria, who had expressed her thoughts honestly from the start,
Lena seemed unable to speak honestly at first, perhaps out of embarrassment. But after I poked her a few times, she finally poured out her intense impressions and flustered me.
In any case, both of them reacted as though they had become far more emotionally immersed in this new work, [I Became the Ice Duke’s Maid], than in my previous work, “The Betrayed Hero.”
If they went just a little further, I got the feeling they would become the kind of over-immersed fans who cursed at an actor playing a villain when they met them at a bathhouse.
I was convinced.
‘If even Aria and Lena, who already knew the content to some extent, reacted this strongly.
Then the reactions of people who read it knowing absolutely nothing will be even more incredible, won’t they?’
In other words, this work seemed likely to be a success as well.
The timing of its completion, as if the heavens were helping, was also optimal.
—The Royal Family’s Shocking Secret! But Approval Ratings Are Up?—
—The Reason Support Remains Firm Despite the Royal Family Revealing Their Secret Is Thanks to One Book?
Let’s Look Into the Hot-Topic Novel [The Betrayed Hero Takes Revenge]!—
The royal family’s plan and mine had gone far too well.
It was the perfect timing for the new work to receive attention.