Chapter 212: Book 16(2)
Chapter 212: Book 16(2)
The true identity of the sauce Cherry had gifted me was the sap of a cherry blossom tree—a specialty and symbol of the Roseberry family.
Typically, sap is extracted from maple or birch trees, but she explained that the cherry blossoms in this world were different and produced sap.
She added that if processed, it could be made into a cherry blossom-scented sauce or perfume. Despite its unique taste, its fragrance was so potent that it was also used as a bath additive.
The reason it tasted slightly salty was that she had brought the raw extract. However, she admitted she didn't know why it had a subtle sweetness to it.
According to Cherry's explanation, using the raw extract itself wasn't a problem. However, because it was highly concentrated, she recommended diluting it.
She specifically mentioned that the period for extracting the sap was limited, making it quite expensive. It made sense; even the raw extract smelled strongly of cherry blossoms, so the price was bound to be steep.
That was also why she had brought it in an ordinary container. Her family had given her an entire jug to use as a bath additive or perfume.
The processing method wasn't difficult either. I could use the extract directly while cooking or simply dilute it in water infused with mana.
Her claim that she would give me something better than a meal was certainly no exaggeration. I didn't have an immediate use for it, but I planned to keep it in storage for now.
I can't exactly tell her I'm giving it to someone else.
It’s poor etiquette to give away a gift meant for you. Moreover, this extract was something Cherry had gifted me despite its high value.
I had to show proper courtesy so she wouldn't be disappointed. Since my body already reeked of lilacs, I wouldn't be using it as perfume, but I should at least use it as a bath additive.
I decided to gift something back to Cherry in the future and settled back into my daily routine.
A few days later, Volume 16 of The Xenon Chronicle was revealed to the world. It was a massive release, equivalent to two full volumes, and was met with cheers from the public.
[Xenon. Is he a writing golem who doesn't even eat?]
[Readers are looking on with a mix of surprise and concern at the unprecedented volume of the new release. Considering he injured his wrist because of the elves, this pace is...]
[A failure to control length? Honestly, I hope he keeps failing, but for the sake of his health...]
On average, a volume of The Xenon Chronicle was about a finger-joint and a half thick.
However, due to a "failure" to control the length and a desire for rapid plot progression, this one was as thick as an entire index finger.
For the record, the index finger in question was mine, and as I’ve mentioned before, my fingers are long and elegant enough to be called "slender jade hands."
So, you can roughly imagine just how thick it was. Even I hadn't expected to write so much, so I felt a bit embarrassed.
Perhaps the divine power I received from Luminous had triggered a unique level of focus. It was a highly plausible hypothesis.
[In truth, if Xenon puts in the effort, this much content should be easy for him. So, next time as well...]
Whoa there. Not a chance.
The newspapers expressed hope that Volume 17 would be released in the same way, but unfortunately, that wasn't possible.
The primary reason Volume 16 turned out so thick was fundamentally a failure to regulate the length.
Furthermore, it didn't even contain the message I wanted to convey. It focused so heavily on Satan's tragic past that there was almost nothing about the protagonist.
Although Xenon faces Satan toward the end and even engages in a duel, Caind interrupts to challenge him to a Holmgang.
Because I wrote it in a trance-like state, one could argue the level of polish was lower than my other books. Still, most people seemed satisfied with the sheer quantity.
Setting aside the praise for the length, I checked the internal reviews of the work.
[Satan, the symbol of Wrath, finally resolves his anger at the end. A deeply moving scene.]
[Is the one who turned someone into a demon more of a demon? Or is the demon the true demon?]
[As seen in Satan's case, we are the ones who turn people into demons. Though one may be without sin, one still bears 'responsibility.']
[It is easy to break a person. But it is difficult to stop such a person.]
[Once the wrath that blinds the eyes and stops the ears vanishes, one can finally see their surroundings.]
The reviews followed exactly as I had anticipated. Satan, who had lived consumed by rage, found peace thanks to Caind, which must have felt impactful.
Moreover, Satan was a victim-turned-perpetrator—a tragic figure who turned his blade against his own after being betrayed by his country.
Historically, this type of person is a dime a dozen. Cases of seeking revenge after being betrayed by someone trusted are particularly common.
[Revenge is merely a process; the moment you make it the destination, your life becomes no different from a demon's.]
[The only way to resolve wrath is love, as shown by Caind. Only the love of family, siblings, partners, and fellow humans can quell rage.]
[The process was unfortunate, but Satan ended his life as a warrior of the beastkin.]
[End your journey not as a demon, but as a member of a family.]
As you know, there is a scene where Caind challenges Satan to a Holmgang, and in the process, they reveal their inner thoughts to each other.
It turns out Satan also felt guilt toward Caind, and Caind harbored the guilt of failing to stop Satan.
Ultimately, as his rage subsided over time, Satan couldn't bring himself to crush Caind and surrendered of his own accord.
In truth, he could have suppressed Caind, but he refrained because Caind kept stubbornly standing back up, expressing his will to fight to the end.
He had decapitated the father who betrayed him, but he couldn't do the same to Caind, his brother, who was his only true family.
[It highlights the aspect of the beastkin who cherish their family dearly. Conversely, it also shows their merciless side toward traitors.]
[The character of Satan represents the current state of the beastkin, while Caind represents the path they should strive for in the future.]
[Sometimes, it is not through might or intellect, but through showing one's sincerity that one earns another's trust.]
The relationship between Satan and Caind also received a lot of spotlight. I think it's because it dealt with brotherly devotion rather than the romantic love shown so far.
Though they were forced to point blades at each other due to their respective circumstances and tragedies, brothers are brothers. Had it not been for their father's greed, the two would have lived happily without ever being separated.
This led to frequent "What if?" scenarios. If the Grand Chieftain hadn't been greedy, Satan would have become a magnificent warrior of the Hikton, and Caind would have governed the nation well.
[Unlike the battles so far, this one is one-sided and desperate. Yet, at the same time, it is sorrowful.]
[It proved that a battle doesn't have to be flashy or intense to leave a deep impression.]
[Their fists and claws must have been filled with countless emotions.]
Many people also evaluated the Holmgang between Caind and Satan favorably.
Unlike previous fights, it wasn't intense, and Caind was being one-sidedly thrashed, but it was said to have tugged at the heartstrings by poignantly expressing the sorrow of the brothers.
Some praised it as one of the top three battle scenes of all time, while others argued it still didn't top the final battle with Sacran.
Because I had packed nearly two volumes' worth of content into one like a heaping bowl of rice, the readers' critiques were diverse.
It was so long that many people chose to read it in segments rather than all at once.
For the record, before the official publication, I received a letter like this from the publisher.
[Hello, Sir Xenon. This is Musk Grid, the president of the Musk Publisher. Regarding the manuscript you sent this time, the volume is so immense that... (omitted)... we suggest splitting it into two volumes. Ah, of course, this is merely a suggestion, and you may publish it as is if you wish.]
From the publisher's perspective, it's much more profitable to split it into two. And the length certainly justified it.
However, I requested that it be sold as a single bundle. I felt bad for the publisher, but there was no good place to cut the story, and if it sold out, readers might end up with a gap in the middle.
With the introduction of new technology at the printing press, sell-outs were rare, but that was before Volume 12. Recently, sell-outs have become frequent.
The reason, as everyone knows, is the "Why Is This Real?" phenomenon. Starting from Volume 12, "Why Is This Real?" broke out in earnest, and people began buying the books indiscriminately, regardless of race.
Now that it was selling like wildfire not just among humans but other races as well, the printing presses were practically screaming, "I can't take it anymore!"
Because of this, the publisher hurriedly contracted with several other printing houses, but it was still nowhere near enough to meet the global demand.
Still, he sure knows how to run a business.
The publisher's president is a man of great loyalty. Or perhaps he's just not foolish enough to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
He's a man of such integrity that he hasn't given even a hint of my identity, despite visits from nobles and even elves. There are signs of tax evasion, but I can overlook that level of corruption.
While it was unavoidable that the publisher's president would be a bit disappointed, the readers' enthusiastic cheers made it worth it.
[Caind has become the new Grand Chieftain of the Hikton. What will his next steps be? All eyes are on whether he will abolish the traditions that are little more than evil customs or choose to maintain them.]
[The demon side will also be on high alert now that one of their executives, Satan, has fallen. Wrath has been resolved, but the other sins remain.]
[Who will be the next sin they face?]
Even though Volume 16 has only just been released, there are already countless people looking forward to Volume 17. Fortunately, the plot itself is tightly structured, so I just need to get down to writing.
If the divine power I received from Luminous also helps with concentration, it shouldn't take long to release. I wish I could just stay quiet until then... but it wouldn't be right if "Why Is This Real?" didn't make an appearance.
And that's when a problem arose.
"Hey! Save me!!"
"What? Barging in out of nowhere and... wait, when did you get back?"
"That's not the point!"
Leona had returned from Animus. The moment she spotted me, she grabbed my shoulders and shouted.
"At this rate, I'm going to end up as the Grand Chieftain!!"
"...?"
Now they're just making "Why Is This Real?" happen on their own.