ALL NOVEL chapter 48
49 – 49. Man, This is Crazy
49.
“…Thank you for the gift, sir.”
Meiya cherishes the brooch that Allen gifted her.
The golden butterfly-shaped brooch was a luxury item, embellished with different colors of jewels. It was pure robbery that one small brooch could cost over one gold. Talk about highway robbery.
Of course, when compared to his income, Allen was exceptionally frugal with his spending habits.
‘It seems to have brought her joy. That makes me happy.’
Allen chuckled quietly.
Seeing Meiya, who always had a stoic face, softly grinning and looking pleased warmed his heart.
Seeing such a reaction from Meia, who is extremely sparse in her expressions, was gratifying for Allen.
“I will treasure it.”
“Try it on. It’s pretty.”
“Can I…?”
Allen nodded lightly.
When Meia gingerly put on the brooch, it looked as if a golden butterfly had landed on her snow-white hair.
The white of Meia’s hair and the gold went well together, better than expected.
“It’s pretty. Wear it often. Don’t just keep it in a drawer because you’re cherishing it.”
“But it’s a gift from you. I will cherish it.”
“You don’t have to. I’ll buy you another. Get rid of the old. Don’t force me to throw it away.”
“I cannot do that.”
“…Why are you so stubborn about this?”
Allen grumbled.
It was a well-known fact among the people of the Mueller family that Meia keeps all the slightly older gifts.
And also, that no one could take it away.
That was why Allen was upset. He wished she would throw some away, but she would not. He had long ago given up on changing her opinion.
What could he do if she didn’t want it?
Even if he was born into a hierarchical society, it was frustrating for Allen who could not throw away his modern sensibilities.
“But it’s a gift from you.”
“They will become antiques.”
“Then the value would go up. If you become a great person, its value will increase significantly.”
“…what nonsense.”
Allen shook his head as if he were overwhelmed.
“Let’s go back.”
***
“You’re starting a club? You refused when I invited you before!”
Felicia openly showed her displeasure.
Allen couldn’t help but wear a troubled expression at her reaction, because he had indeed rejected her before, it was natural for Allen to lack a retort from his perspective.
Even with ten mouths, he could say nothing.
“…I’m sorry.”
“Ha, really.”
Felicia narrowed her eyes, placing both hands on her waist, as if she was displeased.
She couldn’t help but be displeased by the sight of him who had refused her invitation before but now came personally to declare that he’d started a club on his own.
No matter how much she admired the author of Schuren Chronicles, it was still unforgivable.
“So, what kind of club is it?”
“…Huh?”
“I need to know what kind of club it is.”
Felicia’s persistent questioning scared him.
Alan instinctually sensed that avoiding the question would lead to trouble.
He had to answer it directly.
“It’s a club for novels and comics. At least for now.”
“Novels and comics…? Are you talking about newspaper cartoon series?”
“More accurately, we’re planning to create a ‘magazine’ that features both.”
“Magazine?”
Magazine.
A term meaning a publication issued on a regular basis, like weekly or monthly. Not to be confused with a book with random topics.
Felicia looked surprised by Alan’s explanation.
“Alan, you really come up with some interesting ideas. This sounds fun, doesn’t it?”
Felicia grinned.
“This means I won’t be able to stay out of your club, Alan.”
“What…?”
“Do you think I would just say ‘Oh really?’ after hearing all this and leave it at that? That’s not me, right?”
Her eyes shone with curiosity as though she had discovered a fun toy.
“Besides, if it’s such an interesting club that makes such interesting things, there’s no way I’m staying out. A publication that concurrently carries novels and comics, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Missing this chance to gain a great experience would be foolish. And I would love to see up close what Alan is creating.”
Felicia’s eyes sparkled like gems.
Her eyes were full of determination, leaving Alan no room to run away.
Of course, since he’d previously rejected her club proposal, he had no grounds to refuse her entrance this time.
Felicia asked again.
“We haven’t found all the people yet, have we, Allen?”
“We just started planning. We need to find a faculty advisor for the club, and gather a minimum number of members. So, I’m open to help.”
“That’s surprising. I thought you’d dislike it?”
“This time it’s different. If the princess joins the club, at least we won’t be disbanded due to lack of members.”
“Oh, I didn’t know you could make such calculations.”
Allen laughed awkwardly.
“After all, I am the child of a noble family.”
“Hoho, I didn’t know you could talk so calculatingly. Allen I know loves books and is so single-minded.”
“Of course, my love for books remains the same. Personally though, I hope more novels will be written based on mine.”
“Oh? That’s unexpected. Don’t you want to monopolize your ideas?”
At Felicia’s question, Allen raised his eyebrows as if to say, ‘What do you mean?’
“Monopolize? That may make more money. But that’s not the point. The essence of creation is such that no one person can possess it.”
When something becomes popular, other writers are bound to follow.
Being a pioneer is possible, but you can’t monopolize it, especially for Allen who was a web novelist.
It’s normal for dozens, hundreds of works to be released based on one genre.
If there are secondary creations based on Schuren Chronicles, that’s good.
The more there are, the more Allen will have interesting books to read. Allen started writing Schuren Chronicles because he was desperate for something good to read, and got permission from his father.
Felicia asked:
“Then what?”
“I hope for a more liberal atmosphere in creating stories. To be exact, I hope for more novels like the Schuren Chronicles.”
“That’s strange. Most writers wouldn’t want someone to imitate their work.”
Allen’s statement was at odds with Felicia’s common sense.
“There’s nothing else to read.”
“There’s nothing else to read?”
Felicia looked confused.
Felicia, who questioned why there was nothing to read when the Schuren Chronicles existed, suddenly remembered that the boy in front of her was the author of the Schuren Chronicles.
“…Ah.”
“So I’m trying to make a club and publish a magazine, to have more people familiarized with my work.”
Allen added, although it might be overly ambitious.
“If you, the princess, would like to join, you’re welcome. And there are no proper grounds for refusal.”
“Did you intend to ask me for a favor from the start?”
“I can’t exactly say no.”
“I see. Fine, I’ll gladly go along.”
Felicia smiled.
***
Eastern Martial Club.
The club room, built in the distinctive style of the Kunlun Empire, greatly diverged from the architecture of the Tirant Empire. Unbelievably, this club was the only one led by Albert Elring von Mueller.
To start with, it was surprising that Albert, who had declined even the position of president of the main martial club, now presided over the Eastern Martial Club. But within its walls more astonishments awaited.
“Brother Ambassador, the Kunlun kids are here again.”
“Again?”
Albert, nicknamed Ambassador, clicked his tongue as if finding it peculiar.
The Eastern Martial Club has been in operation for two weeks.
Halfway through May.
The rumors of various events, such as Allan’s suspension of writing the fifth volume of Shuren’s Biography and battles with remnants of the Black Mage, were circling the Empire as the club was being established.
The Eastern Martial Club, apart from Albert and his followers, had become a place visited by Kunlun exchange students.
“I suppose I should go out.”
“Brother Ambassador, you? Personally?”
“Who else would go then, if not me?”
Albert got up.
The peculiar sentiment stirred by the name ‘Brother Ambassador’ tickled his heart.
The reason for keeping this peculiar nickname, despite his official designation, could be partially attributed to the influence of the Biography of Shuren.
A member of the club asked,
“Should we prepare the other brothers in advance?”
“What’s there to prepare? Forget it. I’ll go see for myself.”
Albert, who had left the principal’s office of the Eastern Martial Club, strolled down the hallway of the building decorated in the style of the Kunlun Empire and glanced outside through the window.
The members of the Eastern Martial Club were energetically practicing their moves under the supervision of a sophomore in a training ground carefully designed to resemble the landscape of Kunlun as closely as possible, following intensive questioning of Kunlun students.
“Everyone’s working hard.”
“Well, who would not, when given a chance to learn directly from Brother Ambassador.”
The name von Mueller certainly did not carry a light weight.
In addition, Albert is the older brother of Allan Shuren, the author of Shuren’s Biography. Who would pass up the opportunity to learn martial arts from him and potentialy become friends with Allan?
That’s why the number of recruits wanting to enter the Eastern Swordsmanship Department is overflowing.
Albert asks,
“What’s the reason this time?”
“They don’t say. The ones who came last time said their goal was dueling… It was rather odd that there was one claiming to be the princess’s escort.”
“You can see it by the way they wield their swords. That guy, he’s been up against people since he was young. He may be strong, but if you’ve been dueling with people since childhood, your character doesn’t easily break.”
The wind rustles Albert’s Quen Lung style robe encompassing his entire body.
The gazes of recruits claiming to hail from Quen Lung are embedded like arrows, focused on him as he descends toward the martial arts field.
Meeting their gaze, Albert opens his mouth,
“I am Albert Eling Von Muller. Speak your intention.”
***
“…I’m going crazy, really.”
Watching the recruits of the Western Empire and Quen Lung, dressed in Quen Lung-style martial costumes, facing each other, Allen smacks his forehead.
“How did it come to this?!”