NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18
The excitement for the special cover edition is growing day by day…
Is it true that where there is light, there is also darkness? A group trying to plunder the entry tickets collected by the bookstore staff has been caught!
A group couldn’t resist the temptation of the special cover edition and attempted to tear down a painting hung in the bookstore…
There’s not much time left for entries! With only two days remaining, the atmosphere is bound to heat up even more…
“Hmm, it doesn’t look like the excitement is dying down anytime soon. That’s just great.”
Only two days left for entries.
Sipping my chamomile tea, I was quite satisfied with the ongoing frenzy over the special cover edition.
“Hmm, mind if I see that?”
“Oh, here you go.”
I passed the newspaper over to Rate, who was enjoying chamomile tea across from me.
She, too, wore a satisfied smile just like mine.
“So there are those trying to snatch entry tickets… Now I see why you’ve been so vigilant about security.”
“Yes. Humans can do anything for their own gain.”
Plus, this is a medieval world overflowing with people who are even less moral than in modern times.
‘I had everything ready because who knows what kind of fool might try to steal something.’
Thanks to the support from high-profile individuals who promised to assist me when I was detained.
With assistance from the Northern Duke, the knights of the Iceberg family transferred the safe from the bookstore to the publishing house, and with help from the Seven Towers, the publishing house is secured with magic up to level seven.
“Well, I certainly expected thieves to try to steal the painting on the bookstore wall.”
As if I could have missed that detail.
“That painting is stuck with a specially made adhesive from the Alchemy Association, so there’s no way it will come off. They say that once they use their potion, it will come off quickly, but hey, they’ll figure it out.”
“Can we really trust alchemists?”
“Did I ask if I could give that painting to anyone else?”
“Oh, really?”
“Yep. I promised one to the Alchemy Association. If they damage it, it’ll be their loss, so they’d better behave. I’m guessing if it gets even slightly torn or wet, that person will get doused with potions?”
“What a refreshing new insight… Is this the world you live in, author?”
“Yes. Just like people go crazy over one of my books, your painting now possesses the power to move people.”
“The power to move people, huh… Not a bad feeling.”
“Right? Your painting truly has that kind of power.”
“Haha, okay, stop it. This is getting embarrassing.”
“If that’s the case… Hmm, shall we guess who will win?”
“…I’m kind of curious about that. How many entry tickets were collected from the publishing house?”
“I think there were over 73 thousand as of yesterday.”
“…That’s a lot.”
“And that’s probably not even half of what’s expected.”
“What?”
The bookstore selling my book isn’t just in the empire but in various other countries as well.
Taking into account the medieval times, it takes a while to travel long distances, so we decided to use the help of the Seven Towers to teleport the far-off regions at the end.
So what’s collected now isn’t even half of what we can expect.
“Let’s wait until the last day and see who gets selected from all these entry tickets.”
Who will be the one to receive the special cover edition, I wonder?
I plan to personally hand over the special cover edition to the winners.
***
And then, the day to announce the fortunate winners arrived.
Many robed individuals walked around setting up crystal orbs across the area, gathering a crowd around them.
As people marveled at the orbs, suddenly, the lights illuminated one of them, projecting a figure above.
It looked just like a hologram from modern times.
The figure projected by the orb was…
-Greetings to you all! The hero favored by Check Writer, Rate!
“It’s the hero!”
“The hero just appeared out of nowhere!”
“The hero is right in front of us…!”
“You idiot, they’re not in front of us; they’re projecting from somewhere else!”
Hero Rate.
She was projecting herself in front of the crystal orb, leaving behind many entry tickets.
-If possible, I hoped the author would choose the winner, but the author asked me to be sure to pick someone. So here I am showing myself!
With those words, Rate smiled awkwardly.
-Well, since I’ve been asked, I better do a good job. First… I guess I should pray before the draw.
Closing her eyes, Rate raised her right hand, forming a cross near her chest.
As a result, her chest was gently pressed, but not a single person had any lewd thoughts.
-I, hero Rate, swear by my faith that I will commit no foul play in this draw.
The sight of her swearing was as reverent as that of a saint.
-Now, let’s get started!
Getting handed a wooden sword from someone off-screen, Rate immediately took her stance.
Then, with eyes closed, she took a deep breath and…
-Hah!
With all her might, she swung the sword.
The resulting wind pressure sent the entry tickets flying around the room, and as they fell back down, she opened her eyes again.
-I wonder who the lucky winner will be.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she quickly snatched an entry ticket that landed right before her.
Then, spinning around, she seized nine more tickets mid-air, showcasing them towards the crystal orb.
-Let’s check them out now.
At this crucial moment of announcing the winners, everyone in front of the crystal orb listened intently to Rate’s words, all tensed up.
-First up… Maxson! Congratulations!
-Second… John! Congratulations!
-Third…
-Fourth…
…
-Ninth… Bel?! Ahem, Belua Twilight. Congratulations!
“Sniff, I thought it was me when I heard ‘Bel’…”
“Wait, is it Twilight? If it’s the Count of Twilight…”
“There’s still one last name left! Everyone, don’t lose hope!”
“Shut it! I’m announcing the final winner!”
-So, last! The tenth winner is…
***
Right now, I’m feeling pretty awful.
The reason the winners of the special cover edition are being announced one by one, and I’m handing the book to each of them personally? That’s not it.
This is something I voluntarily do.
So is it because I have to see Belua getting all ecstatic receiving the special cover edition every single morning?
That’s part of it, but it’s not the biggest reason.
The most significant factor is the pious-looking woman right in front of me.
With snow-white hair and a mysterious vibe cloaking her eyes with a black eye patch.
And her pure white vestments, clinging to her frame yet without a hint of exposure, flaunted that she was a cleric.
The divine power trapped within looked like it could burst forth at any moment.
Yeah.
“…This is your special cover edition, Saint.”
“Please don’t look at me like that… I didn’t want to meet you like this from the first encounter…”
It’s the saint.
Honestly, when I heard that a saint had suddenly appeared while I was attending the academy, I had two thoughts.
Is she the genuine fantasy saint? Or is she a different kind, like in web novels? I had that curiosity.
Before too long, I found myself admirably thinking of the first option after hearing about the saint…
But now, the saint is right in front of me, winning an event and getting a comic book.
She’s not a lewd saint, but still, the image is shattered a bit.
The saint I know is someone who helps the poor, rehabilitates criminals, and epitomizes the restraint of all desires.
“Where’s the self-restraint?”
“I-I…”
Where did her self-restraint go?
She drools looking at Luka painted on the cover.
No, what kind of situation is it, drooling over the cover while wearing an eye patch?!
“…W-Well, just accept it.”
“Ah! Th-Thank you…”
Slightly hesitant, she reached out for the book, only for me to pull it away at lightning speed.
As I stepped back in astonishment, she yanked my sleeve, insisting I wait a moment.
“Please, hear me out for a second!”
“…Weren’t you just here to get the book?”
“No! I was originally on another mission! But somehow, I ended up winning…”
“Sigh… What was the reason you came here for?”
“Ahem, Check Writer. In our Holy Kingdom, your…”
“Um, can you wipe your mouth first?”
“Hah?! I’m so sorry!”
I pointed to her chin, and immediately, she tried to wipe it with her sleeve.
“Geez, don’t you carry a handkerchief?”
Reluctantly, I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and handed it to her.
“Ah, thank you!”
‘Wasn’t she supposed to be someone of equal status as the Pope in the Holy Kingdom?’
Why is she so careless?
Quickly cleaning her mouth with my handkerchief, she tucked the book under her arm and clasped her hands together.
“Clean.”
-Shwash!
Suddenly, the handkerchief was sparkling clean.
“Here you go, it’s all tidy now, so I’ll return it.”
“Uh, okay.”
“So can I tell you the reason I came here?”
“Yes, I think now’s a good time.”
“Thank you! The reason I got here is…”