Chapter 86: CH 82

April 15th, 2023

The journey back home was very smooth and quiet, without any disturbance. The carriage that Dimitry had called for, at an expensive price, had functions that were incredibly comfortable. The food that was handed to him on the way was also delicious.

The dish, prepared by the chef at the Requilis mansion, was a kind of kebab with vegetables, but the texture of the meat was so exquisite that he didn’t get tired of eating it. Thanks to the three or so packages of food that were given to him for the trip, he wasn’t hungry.

Kebabs are usually not suitable for eating in a shaking carriage, but the interior of the carriage had shock-absorbing magic, so there was no big problem with having a meal. It was actually comfortable enough to stretch his legs and even sleep.

After thoroughly enjoying the kebab that Dimitry had given me to satisfy my hungry stomach, I fought off impending drowsiness and read a book. 

By the way, the book was a history book about the racial war that I had been focusing on reading before meeting Dimitry. 

I couldn’t finish reading it, so he generously gave it to me as a gift. I was a bit hesitant to accept the gift, especially since he had already given me a remover, but Dmitry insisted that it was okay and that I didn’t have to give him anything in return.

I’m not sure if he gave it to me because I’m Marie’s boyfriend or if he had some other intentions. Maybe he just liked me after having a conversation with me. 

Nevertheless, it was clear that Dimitry was fond of me, and he didn’t show any signs of being overly possessive or obsessive. Dimitry was just an ordinary father figure that you could see anywhere.

‘Maybe he knows that I’m the author of Xenon’s Biography.’

I guessed while savoring the last bit of my kebab. It was just my speculation, but Dimitry’s excessive kindness towards me was enough to make me suspicious.

Of course, he didn’t pressure me like Rina or Leort did, and he didn’t directly ask me about it, so I couldn’t be sure. Again, it was just my speculation.

‘Let’s just think about getting home now.’

After finishing the kebab and throwing away the remaining trash in the bin, I looked out the window to check the time. The view outside the glass window was a gradually reddening sky. We had left during lunchtime, and it had been about six hours since then.

It usually takes around 10 hours by carriage from my house to the capital, but this carriage cost a lot more, so it was probably faster than that. I might arrive sooner if I read a bit more.

As soon as I arrive, I will greet my parents and finish dinner, and the day will pass by quickly. On the carriage ride home, I thought hard about what I would do during the vacation.

‘I think I’ll gradually write Xenon’s Biography…’

Even though the notice had already been posted that I would be on break, my hands were already itching. Without smartphones or computers, there was nothing to do during the vacation except to read.

I planned to exercise with my father from time to time, but even that was not enough. A month may seem short at first glance, but it’s actually quite long when it’s all said and done.

While I was thinking about how I could spend my vacation productively, a clever plan flashed through my mind.

‘Should I write a spin-off?’

The notice only said that Xenon’s Biography would be on break, but it didn’t say anything about not releasing other books.

Furthermore, there is a past story that many people are curious about. That is the story of the teacher and the elf queen.

How were they able to love beyond their race, and why did the teacher come to only look at the elf queen until he grew old? These are the questions that people are curious about.

Although Xenon’s Biography main story briefly described the past history, it was not nearly enough. Therefore, countless readers are guessing, but unless they peer into my mind, they will never know.

‘Moreover, the teacher is close to a comedy character, so it was difficult for people to accept it.’

When the teacher taught Xenon, he looked like a weirdo. In addition, he used a flippant tone that didn’t suit his age, so many readers were shocked when his relationship with the elf queen was revealed.

But eventually, they found it more attractive, saying that people of that kind usually devote themselves more to their own people and evaluated the teacher highly. Since then, the popularity of the teacher has skyrocketed, and many people have been looking forward to the future development. 

Of course, they were enraged by the sudden hiatus without warning, but it was a small matter.

‘It’s okay. Since it’s a side story, it doesn’t matter if it’s short.’

Once I roughly got an idea, I took out my notebook and started writing down one plot after another. It was a side story that showed the relationship between the teacher and the elf queen, so there would be almost no direct combat and it would be somewhat close to a romance. 

There may be some impulsive aspects, but Xenon’s Biography was just a hobby after all, so there shouldn’t be any big problems even if I write it.

Moreover, if the side story more intensively reveals the relationship between the two, the teacher’s death could be even more impactful. Besides, since I had already decided on their last words, I could insert a similar story in their first meeting.

‘Let’s see… the teacher was once a mercenary who had made a name for himself, and the elf queen had just ascended the throne at that time…’

On the carriage ride home, I worked hard on the plot. 

“Isaac, look at this. All these letters are for you.” 

“…All of these?” 

“Yeah. Our son is really popular.” 

When I got home and saw the pile of fan letters stacked in a box, I couldn’t hide my surprise.

The letters my parents sent to the academy were just the tip of the iceberg. Judging by the amount of letters piled up, it would take me several days to read them all.

“Oh, and could you look at this first before the others? It’s something your mother picked out and wants you to see.”

As I stared blankly at the mountain of fan letters, I was handed a few letters by my mother. I snapped out of my daze and checked the letters my mother had given me. Some had fancy designs, while one was plain.

What could be so special about this letter that my mother picked it out? With that thought in mind, I checked one of the letters.

‘The Lirus Orchestra?’

It was the first time I had heard of this group. I glanced at my mother while looking at the name of the organization that had sent the letter. She smiled brightly, as if she knew something good.

I turned my attention back to the letter and opened the envelope, which was plain despite its flashy exterior. The contents of the letter were nothing out of the ordinary, and it began with the following words.

[Hello, writer. My name is Lirus, the leader of the Lirus Orchestra, which operates in the Ters Kingdom. I’m also an avid fan of your work, Xenon’s Biography. I’m not sure if this letter will reach you, but I’m sending it to you with a small request.]

I expected it to be some strange proposal when Lirus mentioned a small request, but as I read the letter, my expression could only be described as one of increasing surprise.

[…Although it may be insufficient, we would like to express Sakran’s life through music. Every time we see his final moments, the scene plays faintly in our minds, accompanied by the flow of music. If you allow us, we would like to compose music for it, even if our skills are lacking. You can decide the profits from this endeavor however you please. If you give us this precious opportunity, we will definitely repay you with a wonderful song. This is Lirus, signing off.]

Wanting to express a scene from a novel through music. As for me, it’s a surprising proposal. Considering the background of this era, it can be seen as a kind of ‘fan art.’ The term itself means artistic fan art.

I stared blankly at the letter sent by the Lirus Orchestra, then quickly checked another letter. It must have been sent from a similar place, as my mother had picked them out for me.

As expected, the request was similar, coming from various fields in the arts such as bands or theater groups, painters, sculptors, and finally, craftsmen. They all worked in the field of art and wanted to depict a scene from Xenon’s Biography. They didn’t care about the profits.

As I looked at similar letters, I raised my head and faced my mother. She was still waiting for my reaction with a bright smile.

“Mother?”

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“Speak up.”

“I don’t know much about this, but everyone who sent these letters…”

Even though I trailed off, my mother nodded her head and answered with pride.

“You’re right. They are artists who can boast of being the best in their field.”

“… …”

“This mother is really proud of you. I’ll have to ask the publisher to send at least some letters home from now on. Maybe I’ll ask for a favor somewhere.”

So, my vacation began with receiving letters from the masters of the cultural world.

*****

“Sigh…”

It has been two months since the hiatus of Xenon’s Biography was announced, and the publisher’s CEO let out a deep sigh as his worries deepened day by day.

The events of the past month have been a series of ups and downs in his life. Suddenly, Xenon’s Biography announced its hiatus, which then led to a large-scale protest. Then, just a day after the appearance of the draft, it was stolen. 

After that, they were hit with a massive tax investigation that resulted in an enormous fine. Fortunately, they were able to talk their way out of the tax evasion charges, but the fine itself was still a painful blow to the CEO.

‘How long can I keep this up?’

Despite the suspension, the popularity of Xenon’s Biography is still strong, and the printing presses are still in full swing. However, with at least a year-long suspension, sales will inevitably plummet as time goes on. Although there are no debts, the CEO, who has already tasted money, is desperate.

They must find a way to survive until the release of the next volume of Xenon’s Biography, but it is doubtful how long they can endure. The maintenance cost of just the printing press alone is no small amount, and it is difficult to survive on just the profits from Xenon’s Biography.

‘Damn it. Who the hell emptied the entire safe? This is driving me crazy…’

The culprit who stole the draft has not yet been identified. Even the investigative team dispatched by the empire has no clues, and they returned empty-handed. 

It was already a nightmare for the CEO just to have the draft stolen, but not being able to find any leads made each day a living hell. It was at a level where even if someone threw a stone at him while passing by, he couldn’t say anything.

Fortunately, the normal operations were still going on, but mentally it was still agonizing. The CEO wiped his dry face with both hands and sighed deeply.

“Ugh… should I cut the employees’ salaries… no, then I’ll have to hire more people… I have to save as much as I can.”

They say that a person’s true abilities are displayed during moments of crisis. In the biggest crisis of his life, the CEO thought as hard as he could about how to overcome this situation wisely. 

He wanted to visit a writer and plead with them to write a book, even if it was a short one, but it was impossible since he didn’t even know who the writer was.

“If this goes on, sales will drop sharply within a month. I have to earn money somehow…” 

The CEO was agonizing over his problem.

Then…

“Sir! I have something to report!” 

Mathew, an employee who the CEO valued, burst into the room without even knocking. He was the one who was affected by the draft theft but he had recovered and could move around now.

And the CEO was momentarily taken aback by Mathew’s surprise visit, but he quickly regained his composure and gave Mathew a cold stare, even though he may have sold his manners for it, for not even knocking before entering.

“…Are you going crazy too? No matter how busy you are, you should at least knock…”

“It’s not that, please take a look at this! It’s a manuscript Xenon sent!”

“What?!”

Upon hearing the news from Mathew, who showed him the mail, the CEO suddenly stood up from his seat. If Mathew’s words were true, what was inside that mail was nothing short of a lifeline or salvation.

The CEO then walked up to Mathew without saying a word and snatched the mail from his hand. Although it looked like ordinary mail from the outside, the CEO asked Mathew in a trembling voice.

“Is it really from Xenon? Did he really send this?”

“Yes! He sent it through his usual courier. It’s definitely authentic!”

“But he clearly said he was taking a break…”

“I don’t know why, but it’s better to take a look once. I haven’t even opened it yet because I was in such a hurry.”

As Mathew had said, the mail had a clean and undamaged exterior. The CEO realized that Mathew was telling the truth and hastily opened the mail. 

Inside the mail, there was a manuscript, and the CEO pulled it out with shaking hands, like a bamboo tree in the wind. As he pulled out the manuscript, a letter that had been stuck between the pages fell to the ground.

The CEO handed over the manuscript to Mathew and checked the letter first. He didn’t know why he had a change of heart, the letter will tell why.

Finally, the CEO eagerly unfolded the neatly folded letter with a pounding heart. The familiar handwriting caught his eye.

[Hello, CEO. This is Xenon. You must find it strange that I sent you the manuscript despite declaring a hiatus. But I didn’t say I wouldn’t publish a side story.]

“Side story!”

The CEO’s face broke out into a broad smile at the contents of the letter. It was like a shower of rain that broke the drought.

The CEO couldn’t hide his joy as he quickly read the next part.

[The side story is called ‘Kair’s Side Story,’ which is the name of Xenon’s master. It contains the story of how Kair came to be connected to the Elf Queen and how he fell in love. I don’t know if the readers will enjoy it, but I’m sending it because I thought they might find it interesting.]

Up to this point, it was like a salvation for the CEO. But that wasn’t the end of the letter.

[Also, many artists have asked me for a favor. They want to express their work in their most confident field. I hope you can relay this to them on my behalf, whether they generate revenue or not. However, I ask that you send me visual artwork separately. And just in case, I’ll attach my own autograph. This is Xenon signing off.]

Thud!

After reading all the letters, the CEO unknowingly kneeled down. Startled, Mathew, who was reading the manuscript, hurriedly called out to him.

“Are you okay, CEO? What’s in the letter…?”

“Oh, Luminous! Thank you so much! You haven’t given up on me yet!”

Regardless of Mathew’s concerns, the CEO found himself looking for a god while kissing the letter.

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