When the Genius Writer Visits the Publisher
Alan's impassioned speech during the literature lecture had caused quite a stir. The students from the arts department, in particular, reacted with overwhelming positivity to his words.
"I honestly thought someone from the Mueller Ducal House would totally dismiss the arts..."
"I was genuinely moved. If he's saying stuff like that, he must pour his heart into the novels he writes too."
"Yeah, yeah. The exchange students from Kun'Rung don't seem too thrilled, though."
"What can you do? Honestly, at first glance, Sir Alan looks kinda scrawny."
"True that."
The conversation naturally shifted to Alan's appearance.
"But hey, that hair color... You don't see it much in the Empire."
"Right? I've heard the rumors."
"What rumors?"
"About the Duchess Mueller. It's a huge story in the Imperial Capital, but apparently, a ton of people opposed the marriage because she's half-Kun'Rung."
"No way, really?"
"Yeah."
It was the kind of gossip that constantly floated around noble circles in the Empire. Even though she was back at her hometown for recovery now, stories about Duchess Mueller never stopped making the rounds. All because she'd passed on her un-Empire-like hair and features to Alan. People often said Albert and Alice took after their father, Duke Mueller, while Alan resembled his mother.
"Sir Alan, though... Honestly, don't you think he'd look good in drag?"
"Totally. He's got a slim build, and no real muscle to speak of."
"Yeah, yeah. Pretty boy vibes."
"How about recruiting him as the heroine for this year's academy cultural festival?"
"That could work."
While a conspiracy brewed in the arts department without Alan's knowledge...
"Achoo!!"
Alan suddenly felt a chill and let out a massive sneeze. Meia had swiftly snatched the manuscript pages away just before it happened—otherwise, he'd have had to rewrite the whole thing from scratch.
"Ah, thanks, Meia."
"Responding to unannounced sneezes is part of a maid's duties."
"Are you some kind of superhuman?!"
"Lady Mueller taught me it must be so."
"What the hell did Mom teach you?!"
He blurted it out in disbelief, but Alan knew full well that Meia had trained directly under his mother in swordsmanship. Shaking his head, he sighed and took back the manuscript. Meia, having apparently skimmed it in that brief moment, spoke up.
"This volume looks like it'll stir up even more controversy. A black mage lord, of all things."
"It's based on actual records."
"I knew you frequented the library, but I didn't realize you were researching that angle too."
Alan nodded as he reclaimed the pages. It was a contrived way to shoehorn in Professor MacKellan, but he leaned on the classic cliché of a hidden dark force lurking behind the scenes. It was the easiest way to tie things together, after all.
"The core keywords of the Shuren Chronicle are revenge and journey. Gotta throw in some episodes like this. Corrupt lords and mages—they're staple villains even in Empire hero tales, right?"
Meia nodded in agreement.
"There's an oddly malicious tone in the description of the black mage lord. Or am I imagining it?"
"You're imagining it."
"Firing him alone didn't satisfy you, then."
Sharp as ever.
Alan shrugged.
"Think what you want."
"Is the manuscript nearly complete now?"
"Almost done."
He scribbled furiously across the returned pages as he added, "Gotta head to the publisher tomorrow morning."
"I'll contact them in advance."
"Thanks."
"Oh no, he's coming in person again?"
"Yes. In person again."
"Heh heh..."
Carl Adonel, president of a modest mid-sized publishing house tucked away in a corner of the Imperial Capital, scratched his cheek. A commoner who'd bootstrapped his way to starting the company and kept it afloat all these years, the Shuren Chronicle had hit him like a mana bomb. Not that it was a bad thing. The problem was the intense pressure from nobles that went far beyond what he'd expected.
"He could just send the manuscript."
"The academy's close by, so he prefers to deliver it himself."
"Couldn't he send it via that maid from before?"
"I passed along the suggestion, but he insisted on coming personally."
"Why the hell?!"
Carl wanted to tear his hair out. He couldn't fathom why Alan kept insisting on showing up when he didn't have to. The reason Carl was begging him to just mail the damn thing was simple: nobles from the Imperial Novelists' Association were leaning hard on Adonel Publishing. The Shuren Chronicle was selling well enough now to weather it, but who knew how long that would last?
His secretary replied to Carl's lament. "...The two princesses will be accompanying him."
"Princesses? Princesses? You mean Felicia?"
"Yes. And the princess from the Eastern Empire as well..."
"What the—?!"
Carl tore at his hair while his secretary sighed.
"I don't know either. That's just what Sir Alan's side conveyed."
"I'm gonna lose my mind."
A heavy knocking echoed at his ear as he clutched his head.
"What?!"
"Sir, Sir Alan has arrived."
"Whaaat?! Already?!"
"Yes. Waiting downstairs."
"Bring him to the reception room! No, I'll go myself!! Get the carriage ready!"
His secretary pressed a hand to her forehead as Carl bolted up in a panic, not even straightening his clothes.
"Better prepare some refreshments."
With guests incoming, she hurried off.
"Sir Alan, you've arrived!!"
"Long time no see, Mr. Carl."
"Haha, Mr. Carl? Just call me Carl! I told you last time!"
Alan scratched his cheek at Carl's overreaction. Trailing naturally behind him were the two princesses. Felicia eyed the Adonel Publishing building with clear dissatisfaction.
"Publishing the Shuren Chronicle in a place like this... Why bother?"
"I picked it myself."
"You did, Alan?"
"Yes."
Felicia and Lin followed as Alan entered the building under Carl's guidance.
"Why choose this place, Young Lord Alan?"
"No big reason... But with my name on it, any publisher run by nobles would push to leverage that and spread my name far and wide, whether I liked it or not."
"Is that a problem?"
Alan chuckled at Lin's question.
"Back then, I wanted to see how far I could go without using the family name."
But the Shuren Chronicle had exceeded expectations. Unintended noise marketing had led to massive success. If that so-called literary giant hadn't trashed it spectacularly in the papers, it probably would've faded quietly into obscurity.
Felicia tilted her head curiously.
"With the Mueller name attached, your fame would've spread fast anyway, right?"
"That was the miscalculation. Should've hidden the pen name at least."
Alan sighed ruefully. Lin laughed.
"Even if you had, it would've been entertaining."
"Well, going full pen name has its own merits."
"Like that thing with Professor MacKellan, right, Alan?"
"No comment."
Felicia giggled, quick on the uptake. Behind her trailed Stella with a stiff expression. Tension was plain on her face, no matter how you looked at it. As the princess's guard, she couldn't leave Felicia's side. But facing Alan made her uneasy. Her face betrayed it all.
Felicia picked up on it. Still hung up on that incident, Stella?
⟨Messenger Magic⟩
"Your loyalty to me is admirable, but sometimes that excess becomes poison, Stella."
Stella flinched at Felicia's words transmitted via messenger magic.
⟨Messenger Magic⟩
"I'll make an opening for you. Apologize to Alan directly."
'N-No need for that...!'
Unaware or uncaring of Stella's thoughts, Felicia simply kept walking. The only one watching her closely was Meia, a step further back.
'The one who was rude to Young Master.'
Stella von Evans, the princess's guard. Alan had mentioned her rudeness.
'Young Master has his quirks too.'
Normally, a noble would rage at such a story, whether from a lower noble or a commoner. Sure, as the princess's guard, Stella's reaction was understandable. Still, Alan hadn't taken her words to heart. He'd even stopped her from contacting the ducal house, saying it wasn't necessary.
...I'll keep an eye on her.
Meia's white hair swayed in the breeze.