Chapter 37
Translator: True Detective
## Chapter 37
**9. Henry Etta (1)**
To mention, there is a gentleman named Stephen King among novelists on Earth.
To talk about who this person is would be too boring and pedantic, so I will omit detailed explanation but.
He once left this review about the novel called 「Henry Etta」.
‘This book is a series that can stand shoulder to shoulder with 「Alice in Wonderland」, 「The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn」, and 「The Wizard of Oz」.’
Recalling what role the three novels above play in world literary history, this could be called an evaluation no different from a tremendous high praise.
Anyone on Earth who has even a little interest in this field would know well.
The fact that in this field, the novel called 「Henry Etta」 is literally no different from a legend.
In the first place, the reputation of ‘the world's best-selling novel series’ was absolutely not won in a gambling den like Kaiji.
That was why.
Even though I could have chosen a strategy to release the movie or game of 「Henry Etta」 first to completely steal people's attention, and then release the novel after that.
The reason I took a no-brakes Manly Man strategy of releasing the novel first without plotting such petty schemes is.
Therefore, at this moment, I was agonizing.
“But in what way would it be better to release 「Henry Etta」?”
In the past, around the time this novel was first published, it was a kind of common sense for novels to be published in volume units.
But currently, it had been a long time since the meta changed to a method where authors upload their daily bread 1 episode a day.
Sale per volume vs Daily serialization.
Just when I was agonizing over which one would be more effective in spreading the novel called 「Henry Etta」 to all dimensions.
“Then what do you think about newspaper serialization?”
“Yes?”
The Empress... that is, Ren threw me this suggestion.
“In the first place, isn't the work called 「Henry Etta」 a work released to make the citizens of the Empire interested in magic?”
*Nod.*
“Besides, there is a culture of serializing various novels through newspapers in the Empire right now. Then what do you think about prioritizing serializing the work called 「Henry Etta」 in our dimension first?”
“Ho-o.”
Simply put, it means let's try using a reverse strategy of Mr. Todoki releasing a game omitting only 'Korean' among numerous languages existing in the world.
Well, if newspaper serialization seems completely wrong, I can just change the serialization platform to Trans-Dimensional Streaming.
As for me, I have nothing to lose so I nodded my head without much thought, and the Empress looks at me with a meaningful gaze.
“However... would you be okay?”
“...? What do you mean?”
“Among the works currently serialized in the Empire's newspapers, although it's a bit awkward to say with my own mouth, there are many quite interesting works, you know? Probably, to the extent that they don't fall behind Earth's novels.”
“...Hmm.”
At the Empress's remark like that, I felt a kind of curiosity arising.
Novels currently trending with great praise in other dimensions?
“...Ho-o. For example, what kind?”
“For example, an exile story where someone with useless skills is kicked out of the party... or a work where party members who unwittingly came to hate the hero due to the Demon King's curse regret it greatly later.... Genres that definitely guarantee fun are trending.”
“.....”
For some reason, I feel like I've heard those materials a lot somewhere.
As expected, whether it's the Empire or Earth, both are worlds where people live, so the materials authors come up with were similar too?
No.
Thinking quietly, it might be that my insight was short.
Come to think of it, in a fantasy world, such genres have a possibility of being treated as a kind of documentary.
At least it has to be about enjoying a harem life with a very shy saintess and a princess who looks only at me on both sides to be treated as 'fantasy' in this world.
Just when I was engraving the tolerance for various genres existing in this world deep in my heart today as well.
“So in my view, perhaps you shouldn't let your guard down with the work called 「Henry Etta」 either.”
“...Yes?”
The Empress suddenly spat out words that I absolutely could not let pass from my position.
“First, I will admit it. The fact that Earth's culture is extremely excellent, and our Empire can never catch up to Earth.”
“「Star Wars」, 「My Creation」, 「Outlaw」.... The movies, games, and anime made by Earthlings were something too shocking for us... and even the OSTs in the works could be called works of art. So the level of novels wouldn't be much different either.”
As if discussing 'common sense', she lays out such words in a calm tone.
“But if we limit it to the field of novels, the level of the Empire doesn't fall behind that much, you know? I don't know well how fun the work called 「Henry Etta」 is, but you shouldn't let your guard down too much, got it?”
And.
*Twitch.*
The moment I heard those words, I ended up receiving a feeling like something scratching somewhere deep in my heart.
Should I say it feels like becoming a VPN user who heard an ignorant newcomer's remark saying 'This gallery is really good because there are no grandmas and grandpas!'
I know.
The fact that the Empress in her own way is giving advice stemming from good intentions right now.
For movies, games, and anime, since it's something the majority of people from other dimensions witness for the first time in their lives, they might have watched it with fascination.
But as for novels, regardless of the dimension, they are in a considerably developed state, so I shouldn't relax my mind too much.
Well, I also don't think that's wrong.
Didn't the King of Ants also have a history of being too off-guard thinking he was the strongest, then getting hit by 'human malice' and going straight to hell in one shot?
However.
“Hmm, is it to that extent?”
“...?”
“I'm sorry, but I think I can let my guard down a bit with the work called 「Henry Etta」?”
That is only a story commonly accepted in the human realm to the end.
In my opinion, the work called 「Henry Etta」 is already something that surpassed Grandmaster and reached Challenger.
Should I say it's like a certain game director somewhere who became a living Constellation with a human body.
No matter how powerful 'human malice' is, it was the same principle that no one expects it to kill even Saiyans.
Is the title of the third best-selling book in human history a joke?
“If you really think so, how about making a bet with me?”
“Bet? What bet?”
“Let's test whether the novel called 「Henry Etta」 will work in the Empire or not with purely its artistic quality, this is it.”
Originally, I planned to serialize 「Henry Etta」 in the newspaper and simultaneously reveal the fact that this work was written by a certain great literary figure of Earth to all dimensions, but I changed my mind.
Revealing that 「Henry Etta」 is an Earth-made novel will be after screening the first live-action movie on the live broadcast.
Until then, I planned to keep it thoroughly secret where and by whom 「Henry Etta」 was written.
Why?
So they won't spit out such arrogant words regarding Earth's cultural works ever again!
“Uh... Personally, I don't think it matters to make such a bet, but if 「Henry Etta」 fails to become a hit in the Empire, it will be very troublesome for me too...?”
Her goal is to make the citizens of the Empire escape the influence of the hypnosis app called 「Outlaw」 and have interest in magic again.
She should be promoting it at the Empire level, there was no reason to accept such a bet.
However.
To me who was already scratched a lot, her words were only sounding like this.
'Are you gonna lose?'
No.
I'll win.
***
Dimension Petra.
Capital of the Empire, Central Square.
This place is located at the very center even in the capital, so it could be called a place with a considerable floating population.
Because of that, street vendors targeting the floating population inevitably sprang up like bamboo shoots after rain.
And among the items handled by street vendors, the most sold was undoubtedly 'Newspapers'.
The reasons are two.
First, that one can quickly acquire information from various parts of the Empire through newspapers.
And the second reason is exactly-
“Keu-eu! As expected today's 「Hero's Return」 was also tremendously fun!”
“Is it because the protagonist is a hero chosen by the goddess as expected? Not showing any mercy to the enemy and killing all enemies if they are enemies is really refreshing!”
“Tsk tsk, it's dumbfounding really. To like a novel like that where the content is entirely just destroying everything in front of your eyes. Don't you even know the trend these days is Count Celine's 「Bloody Revenge」?”
“What? I don't even have interest in a novel where a heroine was already given away?”
“...Take it back. What you just said...!”
“Tsk, there are no novels with modest Succubus heroines these days? It's the end of the world! Goodness....”
It was none other than the fault of novels being serialized in the newspaper.
Although it was a culture that disappeared a lot on Earth currently, in the Empire, it was common to serialize novels allocating newspaper space to increase readers to increase the number of subscribers.
And this could actually be called a considerably effective strategy.
Doesn't the angle come out just by looking at how the sales volume of 'Empire Daily', which recently serialized Count Celine's new work 「Bloody Revenge」, crushed other newspaper companies?
That's why in the Empire, the job of a novelist was something treated quite favorably.
This naturally led to qualitative improvement of the serialized novels.
Because if one lets their guard down thinking they are the 1st Emperor, they wouldn't know when their neck would be slit by a junior who grabbed their back.
Citizens could also read novels overflowing with dopamine *peong-peong* anytime anywhere just by picking up a newspaper, so it could never be called a loss.
Then one day.
“Huh?”
“...What is this?”
Citizens who opened the newspaper to read novels as usual unintentionally ended up tilting their heads.
- ...
- 「Received a Curse to Be Hated」
- 「I Am a Villainess but Suddenly Became a Saintess」
- 「Henry Etta」 (New Work) (※Running 7 consecutive uploads event to commemorate the start of serialization)
- ...
Because a new novel title they hadn't seen until now was situated in the serialization section of the newspaper.
Well, there was no problem up to that point.
Traditionally, the novel serialization section of a newspaper is a world of the law of the jungle, so the weak are quickly expelled and it was 'common sense' for newcomers to fill that empty spot.
However.
“Such arrogance. Serializing a new work but didn't even promote it in advance?”
“Arrogant, truly arrogant beyond measure!”
Wondering what on earth they are thinking, this new work was emitting ambition to shoot 7 consecutive uploads right from the start, let alone promoting.
Even the current No. 1 novel of Empire Daily, 「Bloody Revenge」, didn't show such an arrogant move, how dare a mere newcomer?
“Right, you mean you are quite confident in your writing?”
“Ah, is it time to return as the critic 'Jack the Razor' after a long time...?”
“Kuk-kuk. Don't say too cruel words to a greenhorn writer, Big Bro. Did you already forget that Big Bro's tongue produced a whopping twenty-three victims?”
Like that, several people opened the newspaper to cruelly tear apart the work called 「Henry Etta」 and—
“...Eh?”
“Huh...?”
Thus.
Simultaneously with some of the subscribers witnessing the illusion of boarding a train bound for magic school while reading the novel—
The serialization of the work called 「Henry Etta」 began in earnest.
2,163 words
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