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Chapter : 05
“It’s an honor to meet you, Marquis.”
I had hurriedly studied noble etiquette beforehand, though I wasn’t entirely sure I was doing it correctly.
Marquis Rünter approached Ludwin and me as we bowed respectfully. He sat down casually and said:
“I didn’t ask for greetings. I’m a busy man. I hate wasting time.”
Even as he spoke, his gaze remained fixed on me.
It was a strange look—part observation, part interrogation. One thing was clear: it wasn’t a friendly gaze.
“Now then, little author. As I said, I value efficiency. So tell me—why do you think I summoned you? I’d prefer it if you could figure it out yourself.”
I could feel Ludwin glancing nervously at me from the side.
Apparently he was worried that the fate awaiting us depended on the answer given by a ten-year-old child.
After briefly examining the room and the Marquis himself, I replied:
“I believe you’ve called me because you have a confidential task you wish me to perform.”
“A task?”
A spark of curiosity appeared on the Marquis’s face.
“Can you explain your reasoning?”
“If this were official business, you would have summoned me to your office in the royal palace rather than your private residence. Also, there were remarkably few people on the way here. There isn’t even a single servant in this reception room. Therefore, I assumed you have something you wish to discuss with me in secret.”
I had found it odd from the moment I entered.
No matter how frugal and efficient a man was, it was unusual for a marquis to employ so few servants.
More importantly, it wasn’t normal to be speaking with a marquis face-to-face without any guards present.
Apparently pleased by my answer, the Marquis’s voice softened slightly.
“You only got half of it right. But I’m satisfied. When I heard the author was merely a ten-year-old brat, I expected very little.”
With that, he pulled two books from his coat.
“My business is simple. Stop publishing this book.”
“Y-You mean…?”
A despairing groan escaped Ludwin.
I had prepared myself for trouble, but this was close to the worst possible outcome.
Seeing Ludwin’s face, the Marquis smirked and continued.
“Temporarily. If you perform the task I give you, you’ll be allowed to continue publishing it.”
“What task?”
It probably wasn’t a simple errand.
Still, I made up my mind.
Even if it was the Marquis’s order, if it violated my conscience or morality, I would firmly ref—
“Write a novel for my daughter.”
“…?”
Silence filled the room.
Neither Ludwin nor I knew how to respond.
Meanwhile, Marquis Rünter continued as if nothing unusual had happened.
“Strangely enough, my daughter has become obsessed with this book. Frankly, I have no idea why she became so captivated by a war novel.”
I think I might know…
Back on Earth, Romance of the Three Kingdoms had actually attracted a fair number of devoted female fans.
Countless charismatic male characters clashing over their ideals.
Perhaps she found that appealing—
No, that wasn’t the point.
“Then… if Lady Rünter enjoys it so much, shouldn’t we be publishing even more volumes?”
Ludwin voiced the exact question that had come to mind.
According to the Marquis’s own logic, shouldn’t he want the series to continue?
The answer came immediately.
“This book has recently become quite controversial among the nobles of my territory. They claim its depictions of murder, pillaging, and corrupt nobles are far too explicit.”
“That…”
“I know what you’re going to say. It’s only a novel. A fictional story set in a fictional world. Yet do you know why these complaints are being made?”
“…Because commoners are enjoying it?”
“Correct. You understand more than most. Right now it’s merely a minor controversy within my domain. But what do you think will happen later? What happens when nobles throughout the entire Kingdom of Aldvania begin reading it?”
“…”
Not because of any flaw in the story itself, but because of politics.
The realization left me strangely deflated.
But the Marquis wasn’t finished.
“However, things become different if I become your patron.”
My eyes widened.
“Those controversial depictions become bold artistic expression. The foolish nobles become cautionary examples. If I endorse the work, that is the meaning of my endorsement.”
Only then did I fully understand his intentions.
It wasn’t uncommon for nobles to sponsor talented artists and commission works for themselves.
Usually that happened with painters or musicians—forms of art that required significant financial support.
But now a marquis, and not just any noble, was extending that hand to a novelist.
“My proposal is a test. Write a work capable of satisfying my daughter. If you succeed, everything will proceed smoothly.”
There was no way to refuse.
And no reason to.
Seeing my expression, Marquis Rünter revealed the first genuine smile I’d seen from him.
“You seem quite confident, little author.”
* * *
After the ten-year-old author and the publisher left the estate, Vilak Rünter sat in his study sipping tea he had brewed himself.
His household employed very few servants.
Even those few were rarely summoned late at night.
Anything he could do himself, he did himself.
His reputation for integrity was one of the reasons he was considered a candidate for Chief Justice.
Still, the boy isn’t ordinary.
Ten years old.
The author of such an enormous work was only ten years old.
Even the Marquis himself had struggled to believe the reports.
But after meeting him, he understood.
The boy constantly observed his surroundings, trying to discern hidden intentions.
He remained calm under pressure and carefully selected the most effective answers.
Nothing about him resembled a normal child.
Marquis Rünter ran a finger across the cover of The Tale of the Three Kingdoms.
Still, he doesn’t know the real reason I made that proposal.
It was true that his daughter enjoyed the novel.
But surely no one believed the great Marquis Rünter would personally summon and sponsor an artist for such a trivial reason.
He was a man who valued practicality and efficiency.
His decision was based on information he had recently received.
Who could have imagined a book would wield this much influence?
The war between Aldvania and Oppenheim had dragged on for years.
In such times, military discipline and morale were critical.
Recently, however, morale in several units had risen dramatically.
Desertions and criminal incidents had noticeably decreased.
And these were troops recruited from Rünter territory.
After investigating, the cause turned out to be a single book.
Reports claimed that a rapidly spreading novel from Rugbadin had found its way into military camps and was exerting a significant influence on soldiers.
At first, it sounded absurd.
But that was when Marquis Rünter began paying attention to The Tale of the Three Kingdoms.
And the deeper he looked, the more astonishing its impact appeared.
Ordinarily, city residents should have been spending their nights exchanging anxious rumors about the war and quiet complaints about the royal family.
Instead, they were staying up until dawn debating a novel.
I can’t yet see the full picture… but something is changing.
Countless people were reading the same book.
Discussing the same story.
It was a phenomenon the world had never seen before.
He didn’t yet know what consequences it would bring.
But he was convinced of one thing:
Someone needed to hold the reins of that growing fire.
“Still, I’m curious. My daughter’s tastes are quite demanding.”
Marquis Rünter lit a candle to warm his teapot.
The night was still long.
And there was still much work to do.
* * *
Since it was already late, Ludwin and I stayed in the capital that night.
The fact that accommodations had been arranged at an inn rather than the Marquis’s estate suggested he truly wanted our meeting kept secret.
A confidential request… to write a novel for his daughter.
That couldn’t be the whole story.
If that were the only reason, he wouldn’t have discussed noble reactions to my books.
Nor would he have called it a test and offered patronage.
He could have simply paid me to write.
That would have been far more in line with the Marquis’s usual methods.
For now, I’ll think of it as a form of talent recruitment.
From my perspective, there was no reason to refuse.
A man like Marquis Rünter was among the most influential figures in Aldvania.
His sponsorship was almost more than I deserved.
“Author…”
The real problem was sitting right here beside me.
Ludwin looked crushed under the weight of that honor.
“Everything worked out, didn’t it? You can relax a little.”
“Relax? How am I supposed to relax? The Marquis’s daughter is Lady Emilia Rünter!”
“…Who?”
I’m only ten years old, remember?
How would I know who that was?
Seeing my indifferent expression, Ludwin’s face twisted.
“Do you have any idea how influential she is in noble society? She’s famous for being intelligent, beautiful, and talented at practically everything!”
“Wow… impressive.”
“Not just impressive—exceptional! I’ve heard she’s also highly knowledgeable about literature. And now we’re supposed to write a novel capable of satisfying someone like her!”
“Hmmm…”
From Ludwin’s perspective, the anxiety made sense.
As far as he was concerned, The Tale of the Three Kingdoms wasn’t exactly the sort of novel women would enjoy.
And hearing his description started making me wonder too.
Did Emilia enjoy the story because of its characters?
Or simply because it was so different from conventional knight novels?
As I sank into thought, Ludwin became even more agitated.
“An ordinary novel won’t be enough. Of course, I’m not doubting your talent, Author, but… well… the genre…”
“You mean, someone who writes bloody war stories about men killing each other isn’t exactly qualified to capture a young lady’s heart?”
“W-Well…”
At least Ludwin had started speaking respectfully after my success as an author.
Otherwise I might have taken offense.
Though calling The Tale of the Three Kingdoms my own creation is a bit of a stretch anyway.
Still, seeing him cautiously watch my reaction stirred my competitive spirit.
If someone told me to write a romance from scratch, I couldn’t do it even if my life depended on it.
But I possessed an entire world’s worth of stories from my previous life.
Leaning back and staring at the ceiling, I began making a mental list of possibilities.
The Tale of the Three Kingdoms was a long-running series.
I couldn’t afford a lengthy hiatus.
I needed something quickly.
“Hmm… maybe two years?”
“…?”
When I turned my head, Ludwin looked as though he had already accepted his fate.
“Author, I know you’re disappointed, but if you can somehow finish it within two years… I’ll do my best to keep the publishing house afloat until then…”
“Two years?”
“Yes? Even for you, writing a completely original novel should take at least—”
“I’m thinking more like two months.”
“…What?”
Ludwin’s face contorted in disbelief.
“Don’t say ridiculous things, Author!”
“I’m serious.”
In fact, I had already decided what to write.
If I didn’t know exactly why Emilia Rünter liked my books, then—
“At the very least, don’t worry. It won’t be a war novel.”
A unique cast of characters.
A unique style of storytelling.
If I chose a novel with overwhelming quality that possessed both, that would be enough.
