How to Live as a Martial Arts Writer in a Fantasy World

48 – 48. Newspaper Publication (4)

48.

“I would like it if we could start from next week. With this level of quality… Moreover, for a comic adaptation of Shuren Chronicles… it was a comic, wasn’t it?”

Heringel was visibly excited.

His response was to the immense quality of the drawing that the illustrator Leirah had created for him on the spot. It was impossible for him not to be excited.

“This is a guaranteed success! With these quality drawings and the reputation of the Shuren Chronicles! It absolutely cannot fail!”

“Isn’t that a bit too confident, Mr. Heringel?”

“hahahaha, this is a guaranteed good business. Ah, hmm hmm.”

Upon the mention of the term ‘business,’ Heringel put on the brakes momentarily, coughed to clear his throat.

“Anyway, this is guaranteed to be successful. The best drawings meeting the best novel, it’s obliged to succeed. The problem is with the next volume….”

“I sure do hope that the thief is caught, though.”

Allen let out a bitter laugh.

Of course, he was still writing the fifth volume. He just hadn’t shown it to anyone. While he had publicly claimed to have stopped writing, he hadn’t actually stopped writing.

Once Shuren Chronicles starts its newspaper serialization, the interest in it will undoubtedly rise again, and then the number of readers clamoring for the fifth volume will increase.

If he still doesn’t publish it, some people will attempt derivative works.

Disappointed at Allen’s firm response, Heringel made a regretful face.

“Let’s hope the thief is caught soon. I really can’t wait for the fifth volume.”

“I wish I could show it to you soon too.”

Allen chuckled wryly.

Being an author, they are naturally prone to enjoy attention. Writing brings attention, and attention breeds motivation. Popularity naturally induces one to enjoy writing.

Even authors who are dying because they cannot get their work published perk up when they get readership.

For authors, attention serves as a sort of life-support and fuel. It is for this reason that works that fail to receive attention disappear in no time.

Heringel asked carefully,

“Do you find the terms of the contract satisfactory, sir?”

“This is more than enough. You should ask Leirah, though.”

“How is it for you, ma’am?”

“…It’s fine.”

Heringel nodded at Leirah’s answer.

The fees would be settled once a month, with additional pay based on the number of newspapers sold. It was a daring contract, banking on the potential of Allen’s novel, Shuren Chronicles.

Should it fail, Heringel’s newspaper company could take a big hit. But he made the bold choice.

“You will not regret it. I’ll make sure of it.”

Allen laughed.

“I want to give those newspaper company folks who brushed me off a piece of my mind.”

“…It’s hard to believe. A contract.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

Even in her new clothes, Reila was fully covered with a cloak. Seemingly shy about unveiling her figure.

Alan laughed softly.

“Of course, the success brings in money, but don’t worry if you think it will be a flop. I will give you part of the profits from Shuren Electronics because the contract is for my sake.”

“There’s no need to go that far…”

Reila felt burdened with Alan’s consideration.

Especially since she was still employed at the podium. Extending goodwill to her could end up backfiring on him.

At times like this, she hated belonging to the Graphite podium.

She hated that she had to tremble with fear that the goodwill of others was unpredictable.

“Reila?”

“It’s nothing. This pudding is delicious.”

“It actually costs a lot. So, it costs 1 silver for this?”

Alan grumbled as he scooped a mouthful of the one-silver pudding.

In Alan’s view, there are many luxuries like 2 silver tea or 1 silver pudding.

The price is too high.

Of course, because it’s the king, the cost of living will be murderous to some extent.

‘It begins now.’

Alan stared at the pudding lost in his thoughts.

There is no concept of newspaper comic serialization in the empire right now. Not even a concept for comics. If you serialize high-quality comics featuring beautiful female cartoonists in the newspaper and then compile them into a book, you can expect secondary profits.

‘I want to create the Keydokawa of the fantasy world.’

A mega corporation that has a firm grip on the Japanese sub-culture market.

Animation, light novel, manga, novel, movie, game… a giant in the Japanese media scene that leaves no stone unturned.

Of course, such a mega corporation does not exist in the empire right now.

Keydokawa.

Can it be made?

“Your Highness?”

“Huh? Ah. I must have been lost in thought. Let’s go.”

***

– Emergence of a new form of Art

– Shuren Chronicles, introducing a fresh attire named ‘Manga’

– The Glaring Hairs Newspaper featuring the Shuren Chronicles Manga records over 100,000 copies of daily sales

– The Empire’s Art circles, hailing the opening of a new realm of art…

Allen folded the newspaper.

“Now, this is a bit surprising.”

“What exactly are you finding surprising?”

“The reaction of the Empire’s art circles.”

Allen made a peculiar expression, looking at the headline stating the somewhat obvious reaction of the Empire’s art circles.

He wondered if they might react like the literary circles, but that wasn’t the case.

It felt strange.

“That’s probably because you already proved it with the Shuren Chronicles. The hard-headed seniors in literature might not want to acknowledge it.”

The tone of Maya’s words was strangely biting.

Allen scratched his cheek.

“Well, thankfully we didn’t turn the art circles into enemies as well.”

“…Speaking of which, a parcel has arrived in your name from the house of the Duke of Redios.”

“Eh? From the Duke of Redios’ house?”

Allen wore a peculiar expression.

The Duke of Redios’ house is a devout believer of the Lu Church, a guardian of the Lu Church occupying the position of an agent of the Sun God Lu.

A family known as the shield of the empire.

Especially, the Duke of Redios himself is a paladin who wields the holy power and a parahuman who has reached the level of a Sword Master, just like the Sword King and Duke of Mueler of the empire.

Allen knew it, and so it was in reality.

“Yes.”

Maya handed over a rectangular package.

Allen, who opened the package, grimaced as a swordsmanship pamphlet jumped out.

“…Why would this come from the Duke of Redios’ house?”

“It seems he got it while tracking down a group of dark wizards. He said it seemed related, so he sent it to you.”

“Did someone from the Duke of Redios’ house come?”

“Yes.”

“It’s crazy.”

Allen sighed as he looked at the Shuren Swordsmanship Manual.

“What the hell would the dark magicians want to do with this…”

“There is a faction called the ‘Fury of Calamity’ in the Graphite Sect.”

“I know. I heard they use the power of demons to cultivate dark knights with the same strength as paladins.”

Allen had learned this in his Continent’s history class.

Even decades later, they’re persistently causing trouble not only for the empire but also for other forces on the continent despite the fact they were known to have lost power in the Dark Magician War. They were compared to poisonous mushrooms on the continent.

Allen remembers clearly the grim expression on Professor Flint’s face when he was teaching about them.

“That can’t be, were they planning to teach this to them? Isn’t that too presumptuous?”

“Underestimating them could be our downfall, my lord.”

“…You’re right.”

Who would’ve thought the Shuren swordsmanship method would become popular so quickly?

Even for Allen himself, while he did have a slight headache, he never imagined the novel with substituting martial arts concepts inserted would become this popular.

Of course, since there are no novels written in this style in this world, it’s only natural.

“Let’s burn this immediately. We don’t know what would happen if we leave it be.”

“I will discard it immediately.”

Maia, who received the swordsmanship manual from Allen, ripped the book with force.

As she threw the torn and crushed manual into the trash, Maia said,

“According to what I heard, this is just a copy.”

“A copy? They made another copy?!”

“It seems that way.”

“This is driving me insane, really.”

Exasperated, Allen sighed deeply and shook his head back and forth.

Even if the manual was just a copy, they at least retrieved it. The crisis has ended.

Allen stood up from his seat.

“Now that it’s come to this, I should probably start a club.”

“Are you saying you’re going to create a club yourself?”

“…I have an objective now.”

In the fantasy world of Kidogawa.

In order to make it a reality, the first step was to create a magazine that publishes novels and comics and gather creators.

Since Layla actualized the concept of a manga, and Allen had a successful run with a form of novel similar to web novels that did not exist in this world, if the magazine was successful, would be a guide to the fantasy world of Kidogawa, Allen’s goal.

Meiya said.

“Master, you have the look of someone contemplating a new idea.”

“Do I really look that way?”

“How long do you assume I’ve served you, sir?”

“Probably close to 10 years.”

“Indeed, it is exactly 10 years.”

“Has it been that long already? That feels a long time … 10 years huh… Should I buy you a decenniversary gift?”

“Being by your side is enough for me. “

Allen puts his coat back on with a chuckle.

“Is that so? Let’s stop by the student union to handle some paperwork and head downtown. You’re always wearing your maid uniform. Let’s buy you a nice set of casual clothes.”

“I appreciate the thought but …”

“What’s the problem if I want to buy you something?”

Allen asked. Meiya lightly bowed her head.

What could a maid possibly say when her master offers to buy her something?

“…As you wish, sir.”

“Let’s start with the student union. I wonder how many people I need to form a club ….”

Allen’s steps quicken as he leaves the residence.

Meiya quietly followed him.