BXBX NOVEL Chapter 315: Open Your Heart
『Ch, ch, child, j, ju, just now just now…』
「Y, yeah… I heard…」
The elves appeared before us. Among them was a man with a different aura, a man who was called Chieftain.
Tre’ainar read it, and I was forced to read it too… it was interesting, but… the author of that book?
“…… erm.”
“Ah, pardon me, what is it? No, I apologize for causing a bit of a stir! The conversation will end soon, so please, be patient…”
“No… you…… are you the author of the Destiny Series?”
“…… Huh?”
Ah, the Chieftain was stunned… but his face immediately started to blush…
“Huh?! Oh, you, huh? Oh, my book, eh? Eeh? Why! Eeeeeeh!?”
This reaction…… is it genuine?
『D, dullard! The original author of the novel was human, was he not?! H, how… they have been human all along…』
It seems that even Tre’ainar didn’t know. In fact, I… In the future Imperial City, they’re selling like crazy, becoming a huge trend. And those cards with characters drawn on them, randomly included in the books. It’s a devilish marketing tactic that made it not so uncommon for one person to buy multiple copies just to draw their favorite character, but… it’s not a human, it’s an elf…?
“Uwaah, nononononooooooooooooooo!!”
But, such a great author sank to the floor, covering his face with his hands.
“Meeting readers in real life? Seriously, embarrassing! Ugh, stop, stop, stop! Don’t be disappointed! Please don’t think that the person creating those moving lines or aiming for such epic phrases is actually like this!”
“No, uh… sir?”
“Kyaaah, stop, stop, don’t call me that! Please, never mention my pen name! Please, spare me in every aspect!”
“E, eh? Eeeeeeh!”
Eventually, he started rolling around with his head in his hands. Why? Even though he was able to create such interesting works, was he really that shy?
“Chieftain…”
“Big brother, do you know him?”
“The Destiny Series… what’s that?”
The other elves were stunned, and Espie and Slayer were tilting their heads.
Huh? Don’t they know? Or is it still not famous in this era?
“Wait, hold on! No, that’s odd!”
“What?”
Then the Chieftain suddenly stood up and approached me with a stern look.
“You’re human, aren’t you? How old are you?”
“…… I’m…… 15 years old.”
“As I thought… my works contain erotic scenes, so 15-year-olds shouldn’t be able to buy them in bookstores yet!”
Ah… now that I think about it……
『H, hmm, tis so. Humans were more concerned with the negative impact on children than freedom of expression, so the Destiny Series of this era had age restrictions…』
That’s right. The ones I bought were the all-ages versions that came out relatively later… so……
“Hey, Big brother, what’s going on? Desteni? Is it a book you like, Big brother? I want to read it too!”
“Brother, I’m interested too.”
Yes, I obviously couldn’t let these guys read it yet…
“Did you really read my novel~?”
And then, the Chieftain glared at me with doubt in his eyes.
It can’t be helped. Even if I have to bear the stigma of being an erotic brat here…
“Ahem… ah~…… it seems that my friend’s brother had a copy, and I read it through him… he’s called Ouna Nyst… Ah~, it was the one about a female knight and a sorceress, but it’s really good!”
“Huh!?”
“Especially the parting scene with the female knight…”
“…… my comrade…no, divine reader.”
“Feh?!”
“Thank you.”
With a lie only at the beginning, I then became sincere. In fact, I thought it was interesting too, so I told him that. Then the Chieftain shook my hand with a straight face…
“Indeed, indeed, so heartwarming. Indeed, indeed. It was quite an embarrassment, yet to have someone read my work and speak of it… ah, I’ve erred, this is my first experience, and I’m joyous and somewhat excited…”
“Ha, haha… yeah, also from a junior…”
“Mm-hmm mm-hmm, hmm!
Apparently, he was in a good mood.
Nodding with a smile of satisfaction on his face…
『Nwaah, unfair! Tis so unfair, child. Grant me the chance to speak tooooo!』
「Come now~, don’t get excited!」
『I have a request, listen! I have a question I could not answer even after reading the sequel!』
「Ah~, I get it, I get it.」
And while I was having a good time with the chieftain, Tre’ainar clung to me half crying.
While smiling wryly at Tre’ainar who would forget himself for the sake of that book …
“In that scene, I didn’t think it would turn out that way based on ●●●●’s original personality, but what does that mean? Seems like a contradiction…”
“………………”
But, when I asked Tre’ainar’s question, the Chieftain suddenly fell silent …
“…… you needn’t nitpick … I myself later realized it, yet it was beyond my control… Ah~, still it exists… striking at me in this manner…”
“Oh, that, uh…”
『Wh, ah, this is… Oi, child! Apologize on my behalf! No, I never intended to criticize, I just had a question… Ah~, child, that scene, that scene of 〇〇〇!』
“Ah, um, that’s aside! I like the 〇〇〇 scene too!”
“Huh!? Ooooh, that scene was crafted with great vigor by my own hands… Ooh, you favored that part!”
It seemed that I had touched something that I shouldn’t have, and the chieftain, who was depressed at first, hurriedly followed up and regained his good mood.
I mean, Tre’ainar was flustered and relieved, and as expected, he was excited in various ways…
“That scene was a foreshadowing of what was to come, wasn’t it?”
“Oooooh, that you would discern my intentions… tears well up…”
“Also, ●● and ●●● are actually ●●…”
“Indeed! I found that route more appealing!”
And before I knew it, the Chieftain seemed to have opened up to me …
“Um, Chieftain! What, why do you fraternize with humans –“
“We’re yet in conversation, be silent!”
“Oh, ha, eh…”
“Ah, enough! Would that we could converse some more… converse more! Okay, everyone should return first! I’ll linger here to engage him for a little while, and take the chance to camp here for the night.”
“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!”
No, not only had he opened up to me… I don’t think there were any racial barriers anymore…
“Hold, Chieftain, what are you saying!?”
“After all, I can’t extend them an invitation to the settlement… your reactions prove how the residents will receive them, and it’ll be most discourteous and discomforting… Therefore, I shall engage in discussion here alone, seek their pardon, and offer some treasure as an apology…”
“Wh, what are you doing without permission? After all, leaving the Chieftain alone is inconceivable! What shall be said by the lady of the house…”
“If indeed she speaks regardless, it matters not if I act or not. In truth, it might even be deemed a blessing not to return home.”
“No, no, no, no, but…”
And once again, the elves are squabbling in a different direction than before.
As a result of the argument, we were invited on the promise that we were not suspicious people, much less kidnappers, and that we would not spread the word about the elven settlement outside.