Chapter 67

■ Chapter 66. Storm (1) □ ᓚᘏᗢ

What is the reason why the chronicle of Xenon is revered as a true masterpiece of this era, regardless of the country?

There are various reasons, but the chronicle of Xenon is a novel that can be easily accessed by anyone, regardless of class, age, or gender.

It is not filled with difficult words, nor does it beat around the bush.

It presents a story concisely but clearly, stimulating the imagination and unfolding another world in the mind through that imagination.

This feature alone is enough to satisfy the conditions for the chronicle of Xenon to become a global phenomenon. Moreover, with its thrilling story, it was natural for its popularity to soar to unprecedented heights.

To the point where even illiterate people learned to read just to read the chronicle of Xenon, which shows how highly regarded it was.

In fact, when reading the chronicle of Xenon and encountering unfamiliar words, many people would look them up in a dictionary or figure out the meaning of the sentences on their own.

However, with such sky-high popularity, it is natural for there to be side effects.

Other books besides the chronicle of Xenon hardly sell, and countless people have ended up bleeding by trying to become the protagonist in the book.

While this can be seen as a natural phenomenon, it is unfortunate that this world has never experienced such a phenomenon before. There has never been a 'culture' that has been so popular among all people, regardless of age, class, or race.

Until now, people were too busy enjoying this culture for any side effects to appear, but after the 10th volume of the chronicle of Xenon was released, hidden problems began to surface.

"Open the door quickly! You're a publishing company! You must know who Xenon is!"

"At least tell us the situation! You said last time that his health was a concern!"

"Why are you suddenly taking a break?! What do you mean by 'suffering mentally'? Come out and explain immediately!"

In front of the entrance of the publishing company that has a contract with the chronicle of Xenon, a large crowd is gathered, shouting loudly.

From ordinary freemen to seasoned adventurers, and people of various professions.

It is rare for such a diverse group of people to gather and raise their voices. Even more rare is a protest without anyone inciting it.

Of course, they do have something in common.

They are all fervent fans of the chronicle of Xenon, having gathered after reading the 10th volume.

"We don't know either! We only receive the manuscript and print the books!"

"That's right! No matter how much you shout, nothing will come of it!"

The employees struggling to hold back the protesters were truly in a dire situation. They felt somewhat wronged, as they themselves did not know the detailed reasons for the author's long-term hiatus.

They were merely trying to manage the crowd that had surged like a tidal wave after the release of the 10th volume of the chronicle of Xenon two days ago. Fortunately, the protesters were not being overly aggressive, so they could manage for now.

However, if the situation were to escalate even slightly, the publishing company might be overrun. Before that happens, they needed to find a way to calm things down, but there was no sign of that happening, leaving them in a difficult position.

'Somehow, do something!'

The employee holding back the protesters glared at his own company and silently screamed.

What is the current situation inside the publishing company?

"How can it not work? You must have some connection to the author, Xenon."

"Please send this letter at least. If he is suffering mentally, I will take responsibility."

The CEO was dealing with the nobles who had gathered from all over the country, looking at them with a sense of futility.

While he had expected it, facing them directly was overwhelming. This was a sight to behold.

He was merely a nouveau riche who had made enormous profits after signing a contract with the chronicle of Xenon. He did not have the power to override procedures like the nobles in front of him.

Yet, they had all stormed in and taken over his office, driving him to the brink of madness.

'I don't know either, you bastards.'

The CEO looked at the nobles protesting in front of him and laughed helplessly.

The nobles were not much different from the protesters occupying the entrance of the publishing company. They just expressed their concern for the author of the chronicle of Xenon in a different way.

Some of them, like the less mature nobles, were not frantically searching for the author but were true fans who genuinely loved the chronicle of Xenon.

As evidence, most of the nobles in the CEO's office were counts or lower. Higher-ranking nobles, such as marquises, were too busy with their duties to have the leisure to visit a publishing company.

Even if they had the leisure, they would hold meetings among themselves and not visit a publishing company.

"Sir... I'm sorry, but no matter how much you ask, I don't know. I don't know why the author took a break..."

"That's why we're asking you! Find out why the author is suffering and why he is taking a break for almost two years!"

The CEO, sweating profusely, tried to calm the situation, but it was in vain as a noblewoman replied with a sharp voice.

The CEO flinched at her sharp tone and replied in a timid voice.

"Sir... If you keep this up, it will be inconvenient for the author as well."

"Will that work on us now? What we want is the author's detailed situation, not your baseless speculations. We won't step back until you give us a convincing reason."

"Please send a letter at least. It doesn't matter if you don't know who the author is. We are genuinely worried. You said his health is a concern, didn't you?"

It didn't work at all. The CEO felt a headache from the pitiful requests of the nobles.

'Do they think a letter will arrive in a day or two?'

He had already sent a letter a long time ago. Although he couldn't send it with the fan letters due to the meeting, it should have arrived at the mansion by now.

So, if he could just hold on for about four days, he would receive a reply. The CEO planned to endure until then.

Of course, the four-day estimate was based on the assumption that Xenon (pen name) was Hawk. The CEO had no way of predicting how long it would take for a reply to arrive.

"I can't do this. If it comes to this, I have to...!"

"Then you would be no different from the people harassing Xenon. Didn't you hear the voices of the protesters outside?"

"That's not what we did! I don't understand why we should suffer!"

"Right now, it's on the verge of breaking out. Do you want to pour mana stones into the fire? It will burn brightly. If you want to see a situation like the Jairos Revolution on a global scale, go ahead."

Fight well, fight well.

The CEO looked at the nobles who had started arguing among themselves and had a look of enlightenment.

As they said, this phenomenon would be seen as a worrying sign by those higher up. It was even more extreme than the signs of the Jairos Revolution.

If someone incited the crowd or spread false rumors here, a second revolution would be inevitable. Therefore, he needed to find a way to calm things down, but he had no means to do so.

It wasn't like he was watching from the sidelines. His company, which he had built with sweat and tears, was burning, and he couldn't just stand by.

'Oh, Lumina...'

The CEO prayed to the gods in his heart.

* * *

The protests were not limited to the publishing company that had a contract with the chronicle of Xenon. Given the global influence of the chronicle of Xenon, protests broke out in various places.

There were protests in squares with placards and loud voices, and unprecedented protests in front of major national facilities.

They all demanded to know the author's situation and called for a proper explanation, and some nobles protested, asking if a few nobles causing trouble led to this disaster.

While there was no direct armed conflict like the Jairos Revolution, the situation was on the verge of breaking out, a truly precarious state.

In this situation, the high-ranking officials in each country struggled to find a way to respond but soon came up with a clever idea.

They decided to shift the blame to the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom.

These two countries were known for their enthusiasm for culture, and they had almost gone to war over cultural issues.

Moreover, the Minerva Empire was notorious for appropriating the culture of the Ters Kingdom, leading to the Ters Kingdom implementing strict regulations, a well-known fact globally.

The publishing company is in the Minerva Empire, and the Minerva Empire is known for its greed for other cultures.

These two hypotheses fit perfectly, and the blame began to shift entirely to the Minerva Empire. Although it was a simple incitement, the situation was dire, as even a small spark could ignite a fierce flame.

Furthermore, the Ters Kingdom had a history of unprecedented events like the Jairos Revolution. People believed that a kingdom that had experienced such events would not harass the author of the chronicle of Xenon.

"What if a Jairos Revolution-like event happens in our empire? Will it be okay?"

"It's a mess outside. Citizens are even starting to protest in front of the palace."

"What do we do..."

This sense of unease spread to the Halo Academy in the capital. I looked around the lecture hall, which had a subtle tension even before the lecture started.

It had only been four days since the 10th volume of the chronicle of Xenon was released, but the aftermath was truly terrifying. Newspapers reported protests across the country, and it was said that the military had to be mobilized as the security forces couldn't handle it.

Frankly, I was very flustered. I had only posted a hiatus notice to focus on my studies, but the situation had spiraled out of control.

While it was true that I was mentally struggling, it was being distorted as if I was under pressure from someone. The problem was that this wasn't entirely false.

I had already sent a letter to the publishing company, but I was unsure if it would help.

As I was puzzled by the strange turn of events, Maria, who was sitting next to me, spoke with a giggle.

"So, how do you feel?"

"About what?"

"You're experiencing the impact of your work on a global scale, aren't you?"

I scratched my head, unsure how to respond to Maria's question. They say experiencing something once is more effective than hearing about it a hundred times. Seeing the lecture hall in turmoil, I could feel the impact.

If even the academy students could sense the unease, the situation outside must be chaotic. I let out a long sigh and glanced at Maria.

She was smiling her usual carefree smile, as if she had no worries. If it were anyone else, I might not have known, but Maria was from the Rekilis family, the second most powerful after the emperor.

So, her family must have been affected as well. It was natural to be worried.

"Aren't you worried?"

"A little? But it will calm down soon. I'm sure of it."

Her confident answer made me curious. As I blinked and tilted my head, Maria chuckled.

She then glanced back and gestured to me. I slowly leaned in, as if she was asking to borrow my ear.

"Hmm~"

"Ah!"

I jumped in surprise at the wind blowing into my ear. As I leaped like a live fish, Maria laughed mischievously.

"Hehe. Was it good?"

"Ah, really... stop playing such pranks."

"Sorry, sorry. And can you look to the side?"

"Another prank...?"

I thought she was up to another prank but turned my head to the side as she asked. As soon as I did, I couldn't help but blink at the person who came into view.

A woman with golden hair flowing like waves, sparkling blue eyes, and a delicate appearance stood next to me.

Lina, the princess of the Minerva Empire.

I was momentarily puzzled about why Lina was standing next to me, but she looked at me with a somber expression, not her usual calm face.

"...Isaac."

"Y-Yes."

She glanced at Maria, who shrugged and gave a gesture indicating it was fine.

With Maria's permission, Lina seemed to have made a decision and spoke to me in a low voice.

"...Can you spare me a moment?"

I was taken aback by her request. Maria, who was standing next to me, spoke in a mocking tone.

"Is that how you ask someone for a favor?"

"..."

"You need to ask politely. P-o-l-i-t-e-l-y."

Was Maria's deliberate, word-by-word emphasis annoying? Lina glared at her with a slightly fierce expression.

Regardless, Maria blew a raspberry and acted nonchalant, as if daring Lina to try.

But Lina realized that engaging in a pointless argument would be futile, clenched her fists, and looked at me again, making her request.

"...Please."

Her voice was quite weak.