Chapter 63: The Calm Before the Storm(1)
Chapter 63: The Calm Before the Storm(1)
Who benefited the most when the Xenon Biography was revealed to the world? Most people would naturally point to the Demons.
A single book had fundamentally altered the fate of an entire race. As the Demons began to take an active role on the world stage, global politics shifted violently. Having previously maintained a forced isolation, their sudden emergence inevitably impacted every other nation.
Demons were not only formidable in individual combat but also possessed exceptional magical abilities that rivaled those of the Elves. However, because their magic utilized an ominous energy known as 'Black Mana,' the Elves harbored a deep-seated loathing for any association with them.
Regardless, it was an undeniable fact that the Demons had gained immensely through the Xenon Biography. This had become such common knowledge that one would receive the same answer from any random passerby on the street.
However, if one were to dig deeper, they would discover that the true victor was someone else entirely.
While it was true that perceptions of the Demon race had changed because of the Xenon Biography, none of it would have been possible if the series hadn't become a global phenomenon in the first place.
In other words, since the Xenon Biography was a worldwide sensation, its profits were so astronomical they practically pierced the heavens.
Because the series had spread so far and wide, an accurate tally of the total revenue had yet to be calculated. Most people, however, were more focused on the book's content than its earnings, so they didn't pay much mind to the financial side of things.
Naturally, those profits flowed directly into the pockets of the publisher that had secured the copyright contract. Indeed, the publishing house that first released the Xenon Biography had ballooned in size, fueled by a literal flood of gold.
"Hum~ hum-hum-hum~"
In a room that resembled an office but was filled with various luxury goods, a middle-aged man sat at his desk, humming to himself as he wrote in a notebook. The corners of his mouth were turned up in a wide, satisfied grin.
I’m glad I paid a premium to bring in that new technology. I’ve already made back the investment.
The notebook he was currently writing in with his fountain pen was a ledger. And not just any ledger—it was one deeply connected to the merchant guild he managed.
If it were an ordinary ledger, a clerk would be handling it, but since a man of his high rank was managing it personally, its purpose was special.
It was the ledger for managing funds gifted by nobles—funds that could easily be called bribes. While an ordinary merchant guild might be different, the company this man managed was unique in that it received bribes from the nobility.
The company he ran was none other than the publishing house—the very one that had first published the Xenon Biography.
The reason nobles showered him with bribes was simple: they wanted to receive the new volumes before anyone else, or they wanted him to reveal the author's identity.
I can't go cutting open the goose that lays the golden eggs.
Surprisingly, the man actually knew the identity of 'Xenon.' To be precise, he mistakenly believed it was Hawk, not Isaac.
Since Hawk had personally brought the manuscript for Volume 1 to the publisher, the misunderstanding was understandable. However, once the Xenon Biography became a hit far beyond his wildest expectations, the 'author' began hiding his identity and employing messengers.
Since then, all sorts of people had flocked to the publisher, begging him to find the author, with some even resorting to threats. As the publisher, it was an incredibly difficult position to be in, but he had summoned his courage and ignored them all.
He craved the profits generated by the Xenon Biography far more than any bribe or threat from a noble. As long as he held the contract, money was practically duplicating itself.
The Imperial Family was a bit scary, though...
Of course, even for a publisher, having the Imperial Family pay a direct visit was nerve-wracking. Fortunately, they found nothing; they had only investigated whether the publisher was guilty of tax evasion.
Furthermore, thanks to his meticulous record-keeping, he had never been caught for tax evasion. Honestly, with the Xenon Biography bringing in so much money, no one would even notice if he did skim a little off the top.
Under these circumstances, the publisher's mood was soaring. He was currently reaping the rewards of his recent expensive investment in new technology.
The principal is paid off, so now I just need to worry about maintenance. And maintenance costs will slowly drop over time anyway.
The introduction of new technology had doubled his profit margins. Originally, a publisher only needed to handle the books and contracts, but he had gone as far as acquiring his own printing press.
As a result, he had amassed a level of wealth that would shock even a high-ranking noble. By reinvesting those funds, the scale of his company had grown significantly.
For the publisher, every day was busy, but he had never been happier.
Knock, knock, knock.
Just as he was finishing up the ledger, a knock at the office door reached his ears. With practiced movements, the publisher slid the ledger into his desk drawer before speaking.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, sir. Matthew."
"Oh, Matthew! Come in, come in."
As soon as he realized it was Matthew, the publisher's face lit up, and he beckoned him inside. Matthew wasn't just any employee; he was his favorite secretary and a harbinger of good news.
News like the Xenon Biography, or the Xenon Biography, or perhaps... the Xenon Biography.
Because the publisher trusted him so much, Matthew was also in charge of editing the series.
Creeak—
At the publisher's command, Matthew slowly opened the door. With curly brown hair, dull eyes, and thick glasses, he was the quintessential image of an office worker perpetually drained by the daily grind.
"Well? What news do you have for me today? It's about time for the next manuscript of the Xenon Biography to arrive."
The publisher maintained his smile as he spoke, clasping his hands together in anticipation.
Matthew pushed up his sliding glasses. He was cradling a mail envelope carefully in his arms.
"I have three pieces of news. Good news, neutral news, and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?"
Matthew replied in a voice thick with exhaustion. He always reported things in this manner.
The publisher looked puzzled at the mention of bad news, but he decided to hear the reports in order.
"I'll start with the neutral news."
"It's a message from the messenger. They asked if we could forward the fan letters that have arrived at the publisher."
"Fan letters? Ah, the mail?"
"Yes. The letters that pile up at our office every single day."
Since the Xenon Biography was a global sensation, it had a massive and fervent fanbase. These fans were diverse, ranging from commoners to high-ranking nobles.
There were even letters from Demons, Dwarves, and occasionally Elves or Beastkin. While the publisher didn't know the specific contents of those letters, it was a testament to the author's fame across all nations and races.
However, due to circumstances, fans couldn't send mail directly to the author, so they sent it to the publisher instead. Even the publisher found it difficult to communicate with the author, so they had simply been stacking the letters up. The timing was perfect.
"Of course we can. But how will they be delivered?"
"The messenger said they would handle it. They asked us to prioritize security and promised to pay a fair price for the service."
"Understood. I was actually wondering how to get rid of those."
The publisher pointed a thumb behind him, and Matthew’s gaze naturally followed. In the corner sat a large, square crate overflowing with fan letters.
The crate was substantial, and the fact that it was packed to the brim gave a clear indication of just how much mail had arrived.
"Now, can you give me the good news?"
"The good news is that the manuscript for Volume 10 of the Xenon Biography has just arrived."
That was indeed excellent news. The publisher barely suppressed the urge to get up and dance.
Every time a new volume of the Xenon Biography was released, money poured in like a waterfall. It was impossible not to be thrilled.
However, he couldn't let his guard down. There was still one piece of bad news left.
The publisher's smile twitched slightly as he asked Matthew.
"And finally... the bad news?"
"Would you take a look at this? It's the mail containing the manuscript. Please read the last page."
Matthew handed over the manuscript. Though confused, the publisher took it without suspicion. He pulled the papers out of the already opened envelope and flipped to the final page as instructed.
The last page contained an 'Author's Note,' something the author didn't usually include. The publisher was briefly surprised, wondering if the author was finally trying to communicate with the world, but his surprise quickly turned to horror as he read the words.
"...T-This, is this for real...?"
The publisher felt his happiness plummet to the floor. He looked back and forth between Matthew and the manuscript, his voice trembling and his face pale with dread.
"Phew... It's exactly as you see."
Matthew let out a deep, lifeless sigh and spoke in a grim tone. He sounded as if he couldn't believe it himself.
"He's going on hiatus for a year and a half to two years."
It was a literal bolt from the blue.
The publisher sat frozen for a long moment, looking as if his soul had left his body, before suddenly shaking his head violently. It wasn't as if he hadn't faced crises while running the company before.
Moreover, he was the one who needed to keep his wits about him right now. He scanned the Author's Note again, searching for anything he might have missed.
[Hello, my dear readers. I am 'Xenon,' the author of the Xenon Biography. 'Xenon' is just a temporary pen name, so there's no need to try and find me. Anyway, what I want to say to you all is...]
On the surface, it was a normal greeting. It went on to say how surprised and grateful he was that so many people loved the series, expressing his sincere feelings.
But the problem appeared in the middle.
[The Xenon Biography is a book loved by many, but the burden on my shoulders has grown in proportion to that love. I started writing this simply as a hobby, but it has become physically and mentally taxing. I wish to write with a peaceful mind. Therefore, I have decided to take a break.]
The tone was incredibly polite, but the context of the author's situation changed everything. Currently, people from all walks of life were scouring the world to find the author.
Whether it was the nobility, the Imperial Family, or other races—everyone was busy trying to track him down.
And in such a situation, he releases a statement like this? In the eyes of the readers, it would be interpreted as:
[You people are bothering me so much that I'm going to rest for a while. If you keep looking for me even after I've rested, I'm not releasing any more books.]
To the readers, this was more than just a bolt from the blue; it was a natural disaster. And it was blindingly obvious where the arrows of blame would point. The world was about to be thrown into chaos.
Of course, from Isaac's perspective, he had written this because he wanted to focus on his studies, but unfortunately, most people suspected the author was a Sage. To make matters worse, news of him having a nosebleed had recently been published in the newspapers, sparking concerns about his health.
Because of this, there was a high probability that readers would fear the author was in genuine danger. It meant they might never get to read the end of the Xenon Biography.
"... ..."
The publisher re-read the Author's Note with a face like stone. Then, he let out a sigh so deep it seemed to shake the floor, covered his face with one hand, and muttered.
"...Assemble them. Quickly."
"Pardon?"
"I'm calling an emergency meeting, so assemble the staff immediately! Now!"
"Y-Yes! Right away, sir!"
When Matthew hesitated, the publisher erupted with a roar unlike anything heard before. As Matthew scrambled out the door, the publisher fumed for a moment before burying his face in both hands.
"Those damn nobles... those bastards are never useful for anything but money..."
While the publisher and the rest of the company were moving frantically, what was our Isaac doing?
"Heehee."
"Do you like it?"
"Yes! Yes!"
"Even though I'm just hugging you?"
"Yes!"
Completely oblivious to the storm about to hit the world, he was enjoying a blissful date with Mari.