How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World

When I asked what on earth they had been doing to stay up all night, they said they were playing the game of Go that I had taught them yesterday.

As soon as I heard that, I understood immediately.

Go is a merciless board game for beginners, but if players of similar skill levels compete, it turns into an intense battle of strategy.

Especially since everyone around me is incredibly smart, it was obvious they would keep playing for hours.

“Just one more game! I have a big plan! So just wait a little longer!”

“No. At least eat breakfast first.”

“Can’t I play while eating?”

“……”

Just like now.

Unlike others, Cecily and Arwen could stay up all night and still look perfectly fine, thanks to their racial endurance.

But the fact that they played Go all night was enough to make it seem like they had a serious addiction, so I immediately stepped in.

I didn’t mind them staying up all night, but at the very least, they should eat while doing it.

“If you keep this up, I’ll take it away by force. You don’t want to lose my attention, do you?”

“…Sorry.”

“I… I’ll restrain myself.”

Even then, they showed no signs of stopping, so I had to be firm.

No matter how much they were hooked on Go, when I warned them that I would stop paying attention to them entirely, they finally backed off.

Of course, they didn’t take their eyes off the board.

They were just taking a short break—the stones on the board remained untouched.

Seeing that, I shook my head.

Even demons, known for their patience, were acting like this?

I was suddenly aware of how dangerous Go could be.

Maybe I shouldn’t have taught them.

But then again, considering how little entertainment culture existed here, it was understandable.

“Isaac, can we use this as it is? I think it could have a great cultural impact.”

Rina, who had stayed up all night watching Cecily and Arwen’s match, weakly suggested this to me.

Since it was just one sleepless night, she didn’t have dark circles yet, but her now-dull blue eyes clearly showed her exhaustion.

Go was a game that was just as fun to watch as it was to play, so this was an expected outcome.

“Do as you like. Just keep in mind that the original board is 19×19, not 13×13.

Oh, and don’t publish anything right away—I need to organize some things first. Some terms in Zenon’s Biography actually come from Go.”

“I see. Then, are there any other board games? I feel like you’d know a lot.”

“Hmm. There are sports, but the physical differences between species are too big, so they’d mainly be effective for humans.”

Rina nodded as if that was enough for her and listened attentively.

Since I was just repeating something I had already explained before, it wasn’t bothersome.

She then slowly recorded my explanation in a notebook she had brought.

For the Minerva Empire, which lacked cultural development, this was an invaluable opportunity to fill that gap.

“Thanks. For now, it’s best to focus on Go rather than those sports. A board game like this… as long as you have the materials… you can play it… anywhere…”

Maybe her brain had been working too hard while watching the matches.

Rina, who had been smiling at the thought of the empire’s cultural growth, slowly started to close her eyes.

She had already been exhausted from her overwhelming workload, and staying up all night had only made it worse.

“Koo…”

In the end, she passed out.

I chuckled as I watched Rina doze off, leaning against a chair.

Her sleeping figure was as elegant as a princess in a forest.

But if she slept like this, she might wake up with a stiff neck, so I decided to move her.

Carefully, I placed Rina on the bed.

For the record, she wasn’t the only one there—Mari and Adelia were also sleeping side by side.

They, too, had stayed up all night watching Cecily and Arwen’s match and ended up crashing on the same bed.

That alone was enough to make me speechless, but the real absurdity lay in the two women still playing Go.

“Shouldn’t you make your move already? If you keep hesitating, you’re just wasting time.”

“S-Shut up! Just wait a little longer…”

They were playing again after breakfast.

I wanted to tell them to take it easy, but I gave up immediately.

They already had a competitive streak against each other, and I was the fool who introduced them to this devil’s game.

I glanced back and forth between Cecily, who looked triumphant, and Arwen, who was deep in thought, then stepped outside.

If a 13×13 board already had countless possible moves, a 19×19 board would take even longer.

I started to regret teaching them.

‘Still, it’s better than having no games at all.’

In a world where recreational culture was underdeveloped, this was better than nothing.

To be honest, I didn’t mind them getting absorbed in it—just for today.

After all, I had someone to meet.

In other words, I could focus my attention on them.

With that in mind, I headed toward the lounge.

The person I was meeting had already arrived at the mansion, and I had received word from them earlier.

Creak—

“Ah! You’re here!”

“Hello, Musk.”

As I entered the room, Musk, a man with an impressive mustache and a well-rounded figure, greeted me with a bright smile.

Since it had been a while since we last met, I returned a warm smile as well.

As you can see, the person I had scheduled to meet wasn’t Leona, but Musk.

Leona hadn’t arrived at our mansion yet.

We had arranged to meet in the afternoon, and I planned to spend the evening and even the night with her.

“Have you been well?”

“Hahaha. Thanks to you, Sir Isaac, I’ve been doing quite well.”

“You say that, but you look like you’ve lost some weight.”

I wasn’t just saying that to be polite—Musk had indeed slimmed down since I last saw him.

His once plump cheeks had visibly thinned, and his clothes seemed looser.

Musk, aware of this himself, let out an awkward laugh.

“Hahaha. Life’s been so busy that the weight just melted off. Plus, I’ve been worried about your safety, Sir Isaac.”

“My safety? Why?”

“After reading Volume 29, I thought you had been kidnapped by demon worshippers. Only a demon could write such a cruel development.”

“……”

Come to think of it, my mother had told me the same thing—that the plot was so brutal it seemed like it had been written by a demon worshipper.

Of course, at the time, I had been at the imperial palace, so I couldn’t respond to the publishing house.

That must have been why they were worried.

As Musk laughed heartily, I gave him a wry smile.

The timing had been too coincidental.

“Well… a lot of people were saying the same thing. Especially since it ended with Jin’s death.”

“Because of that, our company’s windows were almost shattered. Hahaha.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. That’s just how stories should be—writers should write as they please. You’re quite generous, Sir Isaac.”

When I sincerely apologized, Musk quickly waved his hands dismissively.

But that didn’t change the fact that innocent people had suffered because of me.

‘Honestly, Musk is in the most danger.’

As my fame grew, Musk’s risks increased as well.

If Zenon’s Biography had remained just another mediocre novel, our relationship would have stayed purely business.

But that was no longer the case.

And soon, I would be publishing something even more impactful than Zenon’s Biography.

The effects on Musk would only grow stronger—not weaker.

“Weren’t it demon worshippers, not readers, who caused harm?”

“Things have been quiet recently. A branch of the printing house in the Duchy of Velua was destroyed, but after hosting an event, the situation has settled down again.

It’s hard to tell what they’re plotting, but at least it’s quiet for now.”

“An event, huh… How is the current event progressing?”

“It was somewhat stifled until recently…”

At that, Musk glanced at me cautiously. It seemed that Jin’s death had dealt a major blow to the event.

That made sense—after all, the whole world’s attention had been focused on Jin’s death. There had even been a funeral just yesterday.

“Since Lord Isaac has decided to change the ending, it should start running smoothly again.”

“That’s a relief. Do you know if anyone is standing out in the event?”

“Yes. There are two adventurers, Roy and Anne. And…”

Musk began explaining the situation regarding the event.

Since the main story was already complete, the focus had to shift to the event, even if there were still side stories remaining.

Perhaps once the side story inspired by Clark was published, the event would officially end.

Still, the demon worshippers’ subjugation would continue.

Their atrocities had been exposed to a level that could no longer be covered up.

Even outside the event, I had heard rumors that rewards were being offered at the church or national level.

That meant there was no major issue with ending the event at any time.

“So, you’re saying there will be a total of two side stories? One about Jin and Lily’s epilogue, and the other about a hidden hero?”

“Yes. The first side story is important, but the second one will have a different kind of significant impact.”

“Why is that?”

“Because the protagonist dies while holding a cigarette in his mouth.”

“Oh… Can you tell me more about that?”

At my explanation, Musk clasped his hands together and looked at me with a serious expression, as if he had just smelled the scent of money.

I chuckled at his unwavering obsession with profit, then began explaining carefully—only the ending, of course.

That alone would be more than enough to get Musk’s brain working at full speed.

“That’s quite a stylish finale. It has a certain… romanticism, you know? Like the sentiment of an adventurer or mercenary who never knows when they’ll die. By the way, which company’s cigarette is it?”

“Huh?”

I was taken aback by the completely unexpected question. Of all things, asking about a cigarette brand—it was a rather random inquiry…

“There are many trading companies in this world, Lord Isaac. If a specific company’s product were depicted in Zenon’s Chronicle, it would only be a matter of time before their sales skyrocketed.”

“I understand that.”

“This is the key point. We receive a significant sum from a particular company, feature their product in the story, and they gain even greater recognition.

During that process, I will organize an auction among the companies. You’ll be the one to approve the deal, Lord Isaac.”

“…”

That’s just… sponsorship.

I barely managed to suppress my astonishment as I listened to Musk’s explanation.

All I had done was describe the ending, yet his mind had already leaped ahead to this. When it came to money, his brain worked at an absurdly fast speed.

And it wasn’t even interfering with the side story’s plot in any way. From my perspective, nothing would change at all.

Still, I couldn’t say I had no concerns whatsoever.

“That’s not a bad idea, but… is it really necessary? I could just use any cigarette brand.”

“Ahem. Lord Isaac, since you’re a non-smoker, you might not understand, but smokers tend to be very particular about their usual brand.

Unless it’s something as insanely expensive as the World Tree Leaf cigar, of course.”

“…”

No wonder Grandpa Clark loved those cigars—it turned out to be a common trait among smokers.

“Furthermore, each brand has distinct shapes, scents, and flavors.

Imagine the protagonist describing the aroma and taste of the cigarette before slowly closing his eyes in his final moments.

Only at the very end would readers realize which trading company’s product it was.”

“Oh… I hadn’t considered that. That’s a good addition. What else?”

“This part is actually the most important. Once that side story is released, cigarette sales will undoubtedly surge, and trading companies will scramble to claim, ‘That cigarette was our product!’”

“Can’t we just say it’s a fictional brand?”

At that, Musk gave a faint, knowing smile, as if I had said something naive, and spoke in a sharp tone.

“People wouldn’t believe it so easily. We need to shut down disputes before they even arise.

Of course, it will still stir up some noise, but I will handle it. You won’t have to worry about the media, Lord Isaac.”

“Won’t the other trading companies resent me?”

I didn’t want to create unnecessary enemies. I wasn’t the type to make foes just for the sake of my goals.

But that was only on a personal level—when it came to business matters, Musk was far more knowledgeable than I was.

“If they resent you, it just means they weren’t competent enough. Besides, what do they gain from hating you?

Will even a single gold coin roll their way because of it? Absolutely not. In fact, if one trading company’s profits skyrocket, the others might band together out of a sense of crisis.

That’s their concern, while you have your own matters to focus on. Everyone just follows their own path.”

“…Mr. Musk.”

“Yes, sir. Please, go ahead.”

“Why are you working in publishing?”

I was genuinely curious. With his level of business acumen, why was he just running a publishing house?

Sponsorship deals like this were the kind of marketing strategy that would only emerge in a society several centuries more developed in capitalism.

And legally, there was no issue at all—there were no existing regulations on such matters in this world.

While I was marveling at Musk’s foresight, he stroked his neatly groomed mustache and spoke with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

“Honestly, I never expected things to take off this much. As my business grew, so did my ambitions. Hahaha.”

“I’m really glad you’re on my side, Mr. Musk.”

“Hearing you say that, Lord Isaac, I don’t know what to do with myself. Truthfully, I should be the one saying that.”

If this world wasn’t bound by a strict class system, and if capitalism had taken deeper root, just how famous would Musk be?

In reality, the system was already half capitalist—Musk had gained a powerful shield in me, along with immense wealth.

He was solely focused on making money, not driven by ambition for power. It felt like he was simply content with the act of earning money itself.

“Ahem. Lord Isaac?”

“Yes? Go ahead.”

“Actually, I brought a gift for you today.”

Looking somewhat bashful, Musk presented me with a small box.

It was about the size of my palm, neatly wrapped, though I had no idea what was inside.

What could it possibly be? I took it, but as I didn’t know what it was, I just stared at him questioningly.

He cleared his throat, glanced at me hesitantly, and then finally explained.

“It’s a potion made by a rather famous alchemist. Its effects… well, let’s just say it’s good for men.”

“…Good for men?”

“Yes, exactly. Since you’re still young, Lord Isaac, you’ll benefit from it even more than I did. Thanks to this, my relationship with my wife has greatly improved. Hahaha.”

I had a pretty good idea of what it was. No wonder he had so many children—so this was his secret.

It would probably come in handy tonight. After all, there was no race with stronger stamina than beastmen in heat.

I chuckled, then suddenly had a thought and asked him,

“Why not turn this into a product?”

His response was exactly what I expected.

“Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to mass-produce… The profit margins just wouldn’t add up.”

A very Musk answer indeed.

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