Chapter: 89
In this world, countless classics have been plagiarized. The Sorrows of Young Werther, The Little Prince, Pride and Prejudice, 1984….
However, the best-selling work among them has been Don Quixote, naturally.
While The Little Prince, which fits into the “fairy tale” category, slightly outperformed Don Quixote Part 2 in total sales, it failed to surpass the sales of Don Quixote Part 1.
And.
The work that showed the most overwhelming initial sales was, of course, Don Quixote Part 2, thanks to the popularity of Don Quixote Part 1. Back then, the only work worth reading was “Don Quixote.” In other words, at that time, “Don Quixote” was the only book monopolizing the entire “publishing market.”
Of course, the size of the current publishing market is much larger than it was back then, but now there are plenty of readable works, even if they’re not by Homer. Casual readers had no reason to rush out and buy books the moment they were published.
So when I heard that The Great Gatsby had surpassed the initial sales of Don Quixote Part II, I couldn’t help but wonder if the numbers were wrong.
But no matter how many times I checked, the result remained the same.
“This is surprising…. ”
“Could it be that word of mouth played a big part? The notion of a book accessible only to a select few has created a strange illusion.”
“I know, right? I just thought it would make a lovely gift for a dinner party… but what a marketing effect….”
When I think about it, no matter how much we try to democratize the publishing market, books are still considered ‘luxury items.’ The price of a book is comparable to that of a slightly expensive meal, but traditional ideas about culture are still deeply rooted in people’s minds.
The fantasy of a book that only a few invited by Homer could read.
This illusion of “exclusivity,” rather than mere literary value, led people to rush out and buy books.
“Should I say this is completely the opposite of what happens on Earth…?”
“Excuse me?”
“Such oddities exist.”
In literary history from a previous life, The Great Gatsby was a tragic book that barely sold any copies while Fitzgerald was alive.
Unsold copies piled up in warehouses, and the film adaptation of this novel bombed miserably.
Considering the phenomenon it caused after Fitzgerald’s death, it’s truly ironic. The Great Gatsby has been hailed as the great American novel, becoming the bible for all American writers and an enduring symbol of the American Dream, while the original manuscript fetched astronomical prices at auction…
What can I say?
It feels a little weird to see the same work yield such different results just because of marketing.
“Is this the power of literature…?”
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.
.
“…Who’s here?”
“It’s my brother. I told him not to follow, but here we are….”
As usual, I came to the publishing house after hearing that Princess Isolette was visiting.
But someone else was also waiting for me.
“It is an honor to meet you. Literary transcendent, miracle embodying, approved by the universal church, ally of the seven towers, creator of Don Quixote, Mr. Homer.”
“…Yes. The honor is mine, Your Highness, Second Prince.”
“Just call me Abel.”
“Okay, Your Highness Abel.”
The Second Prince of the Empire. Previously the brother of Princess Isolette, and now by genealogy… an uncle.
The second heir to the imperial throne.
He’s come to the publishing house. I was starting to feel quite nervous after a long time…
“I’ve heard so much about you, Homer, from my brother. He claims you turned my not-so-great brother into a woman and have been overly accommodating to his tantrums, which was quite troublesome.”
“No, well… I’m more like friends with Princess Isolette. Haha….”
“I know.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’ve heard so many tales about you from my brother that it somehow feels like I’ve known you for a while now.”
“…What?”
The Second Prince Abel was quite… unique.
“Thanks to you, Homer, my father seems to be quite cheerful these days.”
“Ah, Your Majesty…”
“My brother’s reconciliation seems to bring him immense joy. Especially at his age, it’s common to prefer daughters over sons, isn’t it?”
“Uh?”
“Ah, since Idris has become the adopted son of Enoch, it’s probably more accurate to say granddaughter rather than daughter.”
“Hey, brother! Don’t call him Idris!”
“Isn’t it just a small change between Is or Idris? It’s quite humorous to insist on calling it a girl’s name when you’re only missing two letters…”
“Brother!”
“There’s no need to shout. I can hear you just fine. Don’t raise your voice…”
Witnessing the royal heirs banter in front of me made my head spin for a moment.
Is this really… the royal family?
Even considering they’re part of a constitutional monarchy, is this how it should be?
“So, Your Highness Abel, what brings you to me?”
“Oh dear, I’ve made quite the mess in front of such a distinguished guest. To be straightforward, I’d like you to direct the upcoming imperial banquet.”
“What?”
Me?
What kind of nonsense is this?
“I’ve come to know from your recent publication The Great Gatsby that you have a unique talent for extravagance.”
“…….”
“We wish to celebrate this new millennium in the imperial realm with a banquet that will outshine any before. Thanks to your efforts in many respects toward revitalizing the Empire, our economy is thriving… and the imperial treasury has set previous records. Isn’t it only fitting to lavishly celebrate this new era?”
“I see…”
“That’s why I’m here to ask for your expertise in directing the imperial banquet.”
“Shouldn’t such tasks be left to professionals…?”
“There’s no one more suitable than you to represent the new era, Mr. Homer.”
Hmm.
I get the intent, but I really think it’s better to decline.
After all, I’ve never partaken in social circles and have mainly read books tucked away in my room since I was a kid. It seems a bit…
“In exchange, I’ll make sure the Imperial Central Library and the Council’s archive can be fully opened to the public.”
“I’ll do it.”
Ah.
That thought slipped out without passing through my brain.
“Thank you, Homer.”
“And if possible, I’d like to see the ancient texts of the imperial library…”
“I shall try my best.”
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.
.
“Concerning finance and mining, don’t fret; my people have it all covered. If you want a diamond the size of a man’s head, we’ll find a way to deliver it.”
“I don’t need such a huge jewel, just some crafts for decoration will do.”
“Haha, sure, I’ll see to it that it’s ready without fail.”
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.
.
“Aerial acrobatics with an airplane… that sounds fun! Haha…”
“Can you arrange it?”
“Of course, I can…. I’m in charge after all….”
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.
.
“Haha! The first request from Mr. Homer at our Black Magic Tower, I’ll make sure to fulfill it!”
“Honestly, I just need you to create some firecrackers…”
“I’ll turn the night sky into fireworks!”
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.
.
“Making the weather clear is no trouble. But for the banquet, wouldn’t it be better to make it a little more extravagant?”
“Oh, I’ve already arranged for the Black Tower to prepare fireworks in the evening.”
“Hmm? At the Black Tower? Okay then, we’ll manage it from our White Tower downstairs.”
“What?”
“A sparkling mist, shimmering like diamonds, should do plenty to set the mood.”
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.
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“It’s a banquet to celebrate the new millennium… May I attend?”
“The Eternal King? Haven’t you been busy with affairs in Harren lately?”
“Sure, they can manage without me. As for the banquet, while glamour is significant, its worth ultimately lies in who participates.”
“Ah, right.”
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.
.
“Regarding the banquet, I happen to have some plants from the Boreal Forest that our equatorial expedition brought back, which would work great for landscaping!”
“Oh, excellent! Plants are crucial.”
“There should definitely be flowering trees at the banquet—”
“And of course, evergreen trees will be essential too.”
“”Hey! Duel!””
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.
.
Despite the various quirks, the banquet preparations were coming together well. The advice from the long-serving Eternal King was particularly invaluable.
The banquet held in Harren, where a descendant of dragons reigned as king, couldn’t even compare to that of the Empire, which was a constitutional monarchy.
So as preparations seemingly neared completion—
“Hmmm, it feels like something is missing.”
Something seemed off somehow, and I couldn’t shake that feeling.
“Is that so?”
“Uh, yeah. It’s just missing a slight ‘something’….”
I deliberated briefly, until I finally remembered what that missing “something” was.
“Ah!”
Right! This wouldn’t be a complete American-style party without that!
“Zion. Let’s head to the ‘vault’.”
“Are you going to write another novel?”
“No. I’m going to pick up some of my old ‘manuscripts’ and a few miscellaneous items.”
“Excuse me?”
The handwritten manuscript of The Great Gatsby was sold at Sotheby’s for $3.4 million, earning the reputation of being the most expensive manuscript ever sold.
What I was prepping for the Imperial New Millennium Banquet was no different.
“We’ll conduct a charity auction.”
“A charity auction… you mean?”
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