Chapter: 768
Turning the love story of Rizie and me into a novel. Back then, both of us lacked the subtlety and courage, so we stumbled through a lot of embarrassing moments. But hey, in the end, we succeeded in getting married, so there’s really nothing to keep under wraps.
And it’s not just about us; I plan to weave in the stories of the other ladies as well. It’s going to get pretty complicated, but if you look at it positively, it diversifies the characters. If well-polished, it might even turn out better.
But wait, should I include the pastry club members in the novel too?
‘No way.’
No matter how optimistically I think about it, including them is a disaster waiting to happen. It doesn’t even matter that my counterpart is a royal from our nation, and the others are foreign royalty and the future saint of the Dawn Sect; mentally and ethically, it’s a hard no.
Honestly, those crazy members would probably say something like, “If our school days are immortalized in a novel, that’d be wonderful!” Getting permission for copyright or portraits wouldn’t be hard, I guess.
But justify the fall of esteemed figures while exposing their cringe-worthy moments to the public? If they were the kind of people worried about their status, they would have never set foot in the Imperial Academy. They’ve long crossed the lines of being anti-authority.
Yet, there’s one—just one—issue that remains a deadly barrier.
‘They’re all married now!’
Erich and Ainter are newlyweds, and Rutis, Lather, and Tannian are about to tie the knot. It’s downright cruel to reveal the first loves of those who have already found their partners to the continent. I must think of Rizie in that regard as well.
To make matters worse, not even Zenobia and Sara know that Erich’s first love is Rizie. If that gets out, awkward tension will sweep through the Krasius family’s daughters-in-law like wildfire. The rest might not know, but I bet the situation is pretty similar for them all.
Actually, it matters more that Erich is hiding his first love than if others are aware of it.
‘If I let it slip, I’ll get stabbed in my sleep, for sure.’
I mean, I might not die, but an awkward relationship will definitely follow. And that’s a pickle.
Plus, having Rizie—my wife and a notable student of the Duke—labeled as “the woman who captivated a noble lineage” would be worse than being attacked in my sleep by an assassin.
“I said I’d think about it while in Saleria…”
Thus, I cautiously opened my mouth.
“Considering our story, there are too many involved. I think asking for consent would be tricky, and baring our private lives so blatantly would be problematic as well.”
Regrettably, it looks like I’ll have to decline that proposal—
“Oh, if that’s what you’re worried about, it’s fine! The story will only be based on you two; it won’t be a word-for-word account anyway.”
“What?”
“If I wrote it exactly as it happened, then that’s not a novel, that’s a diary, right? The play you saw today was merely inspired by the tragic love of Wilhelmina the First. It’s quite different from actual history.”
With that, I fell back into contemplation. The play we watched definitely felt tweaked in terms of character names, locations, and sequence of events.
If our story is just taken as a motif, then that changes things. If the names and appearances of the characters are altered, and the temporal and spatial settings differ, who’s to say that motif belongs to nobility or royalty?
“You could even meet as childhood friends after you both are adults. Alternatively, you could also be passionate lovers who only ignited their flame in middle age!”
“Oh.”
It didn’t sound half bad, and my heart began to sway toward acceptance.
Rizie’s idol, an author, writing a novel based on our story. Rizie seems to secretly hope for that, and sharing our personal lives doesn’t seem necessary.
‘What if I give it a shot?’
After all, it’s Rodesa writing, not us. She’ll handle the adaptation beautifully.
‘She’s quite the talented person who can manage to get content like that approved.’
Though there’s the justification of historical context, Rodesa’s proven talent shines through even with sensitive subjects. Whatever details that could cause trouble will surely be handled delicately.
I believe in Rodesa’s ability, and I believe in that monster-level review score of Balkros.
*
That night, I successfully got the agreement from the ladies at the mansion. They readily accepted the idea since I mentioned it would just be a motif.
Naturally, I didn’t contact any club members. Just the act of contacting them would be like confessing, “You fools are the ones in this novel, haha!” For the sake of our honor and mental health, it’s best to move on without involving them.
The novel Rodesa is going to write is not about incidents at the academy. It’s simply a fresh love story taking place in a new time and a new setting.
Though it’s kind of like playing hide-and-seek, that’s the way it is. Anyone who challenges it is essentially defying the authority of the Imperial family, the aristocrats of Yuben, and the next saint.
“Oppa.”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
With the approval in the bag, as I put down the communication device, Rizie hugged me tightly with a beaming smile.
“I’m happy to meet Rodesa, but I never expected to receive such a gift. What could be more glorious than a beloved author writing my story?”
“What are you talking about? It’s not my story; it’s the author’s creation.”
“Right. That was the case.”
At my correction, Rizie giggled and took a step back.
“Then I’ll just be happy to witness Rodesa’s new work announcement. That’s what I should be excited about, right?”
“That’s fine.”
This time, I couldn’t help but grin. Perhaps it’s because Rizie is maturing, but she has taken on a subtly clever side, unlike her academy days.
While pure Rizie is lovely, this version with a bit of cleverness is also appealing. Regardless of how she changes, she’ll always be Rizie.
“But asking this now seems a bit silly, but won’t you mind? It feels like I’m going to tell Rodesa only our story when we return home.”
“It’s fine! I’m enjoying this travel experience to gather new experiences, and there’s really no experience like this.”
“That’s true.”
Her logical reasoning had me nodding in agreement.
As Rizie said, there won’t be a chance to experience this again. It’s a memory shared only between her and me; one that Mar, Trixie, Lynn, Erich, and even Piné won’t have.
“And we won’t be talking about our love story all day long. Mornings will be for fun, and afternoons will be spent at Rodesa’s mansion. That’ll do, right?”
At those words, I froze for a moment.
Apologies. Of course, I thought we’d be with Rodesa 24/7. The habit of clinging to the civil servant until the task is done just slipped out…
‘Oh, I have to meet Alren too.’
Moreover, borrowing the influence of the Minister of Culture, I secured appointments with not just one but two authors. I accidentally ran into Rodesa right from the first day, but it wouldn’t work out that I’d have another stroke of luck a second time. I have to meet Alren directly.
‘…Alren should be normal, right?’
A flicker of anxiety swept through my chest for a moment.
Rodesa, the romance novelist, covered our revolution; I wondered what kind of tale Alren, who writes adventure and chivalric tales, might have in store. If Rodesa is chronicling domestic upheavals, what riveting story has Alren turned out based on foreign revolutionary wars?
Of course, if one thinks about it reasonably, the chances of that are slim. While Rodesa has the excuse of being historically based, there hasn’t been any revolutionary war nonsense in the continent’s history. Unless Alren is a genuine republican, not the ‘honorary Red Wave’ kind, there’s no way he could write such a play.
Even so, the rising anxiety must stem from how impactful Rodesa’s play has been.
I’ll probably remember it until the day I die…
*
I’m feeling retirement creeping closer.
I no longer have the stamina to write for three days straight without sleep like I did in my youth. My will to stay seated in one chair is fading, and creativity for rapidly crafting stories is dwindling too. If I’m lucky, maybe I can still call myself an author for another three years.
But I have no regrets. I’ve done enough for decades; every story I wanted to tell has been told. Everything I aimed to achieve is accomplished, so stepping down to applause isn’t too shabby.
At least, that’s what I believed a few years ago.
‘The best sword of the continent, huh.’
Before the warrior of the Empire was dubbed the best sword on the continent.
There exists an overwhelming peak among the continent’s mages. Even the United Kingdom of Yuben, known as a Magic Power, acknowledges the greatness of the Duke, thus establishing a clear hierarchy in the mage community.
On the contrary, in the realm of swordsmen, it’s a different story. The Imperial family, as the strongest nation, and the Knight Kingdom of Armain have a fierce pride battle, preventing a clear pinnacle in swordsmanship from emerging. To be frank, from a third party’s view, the Empire’s swordsmen might appear stronger, but it’s not overwhelmingly so.
In the midst of this, Count Tailglehen of the Empire has distinctly risen to be acknowledged as the summit of swordsmen. The peak of knights and the peak of swords has emerged during my lifetime.
‘He even has war experience at a young age.’
As a writer, how could I endure this? Where else would I find such a beautiful tale after having written about swordsmen so often?
The dwindling passion was rekindled. I want to write a novel about the life of the finest sword. I want to document the war at its pinnacle.
– Count Tailglehen is planning a visit to the Balkros Kingdom soon; I hear you’re on his radar.
“Me?”
– Well, more precisely, you and Rodesa.
So when my friend, now a minister in the Empire, reached out, it was the first time I truly felt the worth of connections.
When that guy bizarrely got promoted to minister, I joked about whether he could adapt to such a heavy responsibility. Now, looking at him, he seems to be adjusting better than anyone.
Thank you, my friend. Even if you get kicked out of the ministerial position, I’ll make sure you’re fed.
‘Although being a noble, you probably don’t need my help.’
Regardless, I can hardly contain my excitement. The thought of seeing the best sword in just a few days keeps me from sleeping.
Once he arrives, even if I have to lay flat on the ground, I’ll plead. Please let me turn your life into a novel. Become the protagonist of my final work.
If he shows that much interest to come see me—he’ll probably consider it, even if just a little.
*
Thankfully, I managed to avoid a revolutionary war.
“If you permit, Your Grace! I would love to record your glorious life story!”
However, I received a troublesome request, not about a revolutionary war.
‘What is this?’
Rodesa wants Rizie’s sweet love story. Alren wants me to write about my sword adventures.
Both genres are clear in their wants; it’s certainly to be expected from a seasoned author.
‘This is insane.’
I exhaled a sigh internally. Refusing Alren’s request isn’t an option now that I’ve already accepted Rodesa’s proposal. Ignoring one would give the impression that I’m favoring only one.
And Rizie’s eyes are sparkling with hope. Just the thought of having an author she admires write about the life of her beloved husband is incredibly touching to her.
‘This country truly is a cultural powerhouse.’
A magical nation that serves novels when guests arrive.
The title ‘cultural powerhouse’ wasn’t given for no reason.
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