Chapter 21
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Julius Caesar (12)
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"......What's going on out there, exactly?"
Despite his novel selling like hotcakes, which should have left Gilford beaming from ear to ear, his face looked noticeably more gaunt.
It has to be related to those protests.
"Sigh...... It's just the usual routine event. You don't need to worry about it, sir──"
"I've heard talk of scorched-earth tactics."
"Haha......"
Gilford let out a deep sigh.
"Those knife-ear bitches have been causing trouble for ages. And now they're bitching that we're turning trees into paper. Doesn't Truth Newspaper use slightly different material? It's all recycled scraps anyway."
He launched into a racism-fueled rant.
Come to think of it.
Unlike other papers, Truth Newspaper had an unusually crisp texture.
It even felt like it could double as emergency toilet paper in a pinch.
But still.
"Why go to such lengths? The Empire's elves are just a tiny minority anyway, aren't they?"
"Because Truth Newspaper's biggest sponsor is the Whispearwood Ducal House."
"Ah."
I had no choice but to understand.
Back when I'd dined with Berthus Duke, I'd passively absorbed all sorts of trivia about the Empire's four great ducal houses, even though I hadn't been particularly curious.
One of them.
The Whispearwood Ducal House, dominated by knife-ears.
With my thoughts reaching that point, I couldn't help but reevaluate Gilford.
Publishing a novel that glorified war and environmental destruction, all while their main sponsor was a bunch of hardcore eco-fascists.
A true journalist. A true man of letters.
And a shining example of a proper racist.
"So, how do you handle the riots......?"
"Ah, well. As I said earlier, it's just routine. We let them blow off some steam, slap a forged signature on a no-reoffense pledge, toss it their way, and they'll quiet down for a while."
"......"
It felt eerily similar to modern media hyping up clickbait headlines, then quietly dropping a single correction line six months later and washing their hands of it.
Life's the same whether on Earth or in this world, I guess.
- They didn't even fight and the Roman Senate just fled straight to Greece? Isn't that too contrived? They're basically forfeiting their cause.
Historical accuracy.
- Pompey was sharpening his blades in Greece, so you have Caesar invade the Iberian Peninsula first? And encircling a larger force with a smaller one, only to get counterattacked and lose? Readers are going to riot over this, sir.
......Historical accuracy.
- Uh...... Couldn't you at least have Caesar personally take Pompey's head? Proxy kills like this are going to leave people unsatisfied......
That's historical accuracy too......
After somehow defending the manuscript against Gilford—who had a perfect grasp of knife-ear psychology but zero knowledge of Earth history—I shoved it through.
"Burn Ulysses!"
"Plants have rights too!"
"The Tentacle Breeding Ban is tyrannical!"
Why burn me, you lunatics.
And what's this Tentacle Breeding Ban?
Cautiously pushing through the now somewhat more radical knife-ear protesters, I returned to the plaza.
The rift looked a bit more subdued than before, and nearby, Roselin was slumped on a bench, gazing up at the sky.
I considered just walking past.
But our eyes met, like a Pokémon battle invite.
Seeing her soft smile arc over her pouch of holy power, it seemed she'd spotted me too.
"Sigh."
She was pretty, sure.
But thinking of her serenading me with love songs again gave me a headache.
Well, whatever.
Cleopatra shows up soon anyway.
Today, I could hold my head high.
"Commander, it's been a while."
"Oh! Hero Serephin. Glad to see you're back in one piece—no limbs missing."
"Haha......"
Serephin forced a smile as he shook the hand extended by Kuordi, the allied forces' western commander, whose every greeting blurred the line between blessing and curse.
The conquest of the Demon Realm proceeded with meticulous strategy.
The hero party acted as shock troops on the front lines, eliminating key monster strongholds or bosses.
Then, allied forces from across the continent followed, clashing with disorganized monster hordes and slowly pushing them back.
The temporarily secured Demon Realm territory was then neutralized with mana infusions to prevent new monsters from spawning.
That was the basics of anti-Demon Realm tactics.
"Thanks to you taking down that bronze giant, we could advance a bit further. Man, your exploits are impressive."
"It's not just my achievement—the whole party pulled together."
Serephin recalled that battle.
Facing a giant so powerful that every strike could be lethal, even without wielding his holy sword.
Burrowing into its ankle to pierce its core had been grueling.
They'd brushed death at least seven times.
Without his party members' support through those Demon Realm ordeals, he wouldn't be here now.
And.
Coincidence or fate, he couldn't say, but author Kim Yul's tip about the ankle had been crucial too.
"How's the war going elsewhere?"
"The southern front's stalled beyond that massive crater from the meteor strike, and the eastern front's blocked by endless golem soldiers."
No easy theaters anywhere.
Serephin sighed inwardly.
How many more heroes would die? Would the holy swords' wills endure?
His own holy sword, Pragarah, had already changed hands six times.
"And you, Commander?"
"Ahem, not great, honestly. Monsters are spawning faster than before. Push too hard, and we get flanked constantly."
"Flanked......"
Serephin suddenly recalled Kim Yul's recent novel.
He wasn't versed in military strategy.
But Caesar overcoming dire odds stirred something manly in him.
For this poor commander—cheerful on the surface but rotting inside.
"Here, take this."
"What's this? A bribe?"
"Haha, nothing like that."
"A...... book?"
Serephin nodded, affirming the commander's guess.
"From my favorite author. It's refreshingly straightforward—read it when you're bored."
"Boredom's a luxury out here...... but if the hero recommends it, I'll give it a shot. Haha."
They chatted about countermeasures for newly discovered monster breeds.
But.
"Breaking news! Breaking news!"
A sudden messenger shattered the brief peace.
"Rift in the Imperial capital's grand plaza! Hero dispatch requested!"
"Whoa."
"Hmm......"
The commander and Serephin groaned in unison.
Not unprecedented, though.
"Next time, bring snacks instead of books. Craving some chocolate bread."
"Haha...... If I remember, I'll grab some."
Gripping the commander's hand firmly after the joke to lighten the mood, Serephin hurried toward the nearest major rift leading to the Imperial capital.
Roselin's reaction was just as Kim Yul expected.
"Men's bath! It's the men's bath!"
Kim Yul sighed, wondering how those could be the first words from the Saintess's mouth.
And.
Smack! Smack!
Roselin slapped the empty seat beside him.
Kim Yul obediently sat like a well-behaved puppy.
Violence trumped holy power, after all.
Gazing at him, Roselin smiled faintly.
They talked for a while after that.
She vented her deep disappointment over the recent chapters lacking not just romance, but any trace of women.
Securing firm assurance of a new heroine soon, Roselin beamed contentedly.
Everyday chatter followed briefly.
"Can you close that thing?"
Roselin followed Kim Yul's gaze.
He was staring right at the rift's exact location.
"Of course! That's why heroes exist, right?"
Roselin grinned brightly, affirming his words.
"Then I'm off."
"Be safe! Mr. Author!"
As faint fatigue crept into Kim Yul's expression, Roselin shared her holy power directly, invigorating him.
Always fun to tease him. She swallowed the thought for a moment.
But......
"He can see the rift."
Not just see it.
He could even sense the foul demonic energy pouring from it.
An ordinary person couldn't.
As Roselin watched Kim Yul trudge away, lost in that realization, her eyes.
Widened suddenly.
"Wha—what......?"
The direction he was heading was bakery row.
Where shops clustered for profit.
Not a full lockdown zone, but close to the rift.
"Yul──"
A bad feeling hit her; she called his name.
But.
Creeeeak──
The rift pulsed like a living thing, swelling instantly.
And swallowed Kim Yul whole.