episode_0011

In the early 20th century in the United States, there was a magazine called ‘Pulp Magazine’.

It does not refer to any specific magazine, but refers to a cheap magazine printed with low-quality paper.

There was a similar type of magazine in this world too.

To be precise, it started to appear recently. The people who made money from cheap short stories that could be called ‘hard-boiled violence’ began to professionally publish magazines containing only such short stories.

“Hello! My name is Ryan and I run the magazine ‘Half and Half’! I heard that you came through the introduction of the CEO of Dorling!”

“Ah, yes. There is no need to greet me so politely… .”

“No! If you are an acquaintance of the dolling boss, you are like an older brother to me!”

And, ‘Half and Half’ was one of those cheap magazines.

It is said that it was given that name because it was sold at half the price of other magazines. The quality of the paper itself was so miserable that it tore with even the slightest force.

This magazine is exactly what I was hoping for.

“The reason I came to see Mr. Ryan is because I wanted to serialize a novel in the magazine he runs.”

“Uh, do you mean a novel?”

“Yes.”

“That… As the president, it’s also true that I say this, but our magazine’s fee per word is only about half that of other magazines.”

“Oh, that’s okay. Because I’m not doing it for money.”

“Yes?”

Instead of answering, I took out a manuscript from my pocket and handed it to the president.

“Here is the manuscript of the novel I plan to serialize.”

“This… .”

The president, who accepted the manuscript in a slightly dazed state, immediately opened it and began to read it on the spot.

I liked that attitude.

I feel like I’m doing this because I like novels.

“… That’s interesting. Reflection of actual culture or history… Although it seems like a mess. It’s a novel so interesting that you don’t even have to worry about such things.”

“Right?”

“Are you serializing novels like this in our magazine?”

“If I didn’t mean to do that, I wouldn’t have come to see the boss.”

“… I have never felt so disappointed that my magazines are so cheap they could be used as toilet paper.”

“Rather, I think this novel is suitable for such a magazine.”

What I brought back was the origins of protagonist-centered fantasy, commonly referred to as ‘American fantasy.’

It is the prototype of all ‘sword and magic fantasy’ that leads to modern web novels, and the origin of all ‘genre novels’ that are notorious for their simple and linear development, such as Igogaeng and Yangpanso.

“This is my first time seeing a protagonist who is so exciting and not unpleasant. Conan the Barbarian… . The name also has a rustic charm.”

“I am thinking of naming the series ‘Conan Saga’.”

Conan Saga.

“Conan Saga… . I hope to go along well. Writer.”

“Please take care of me too. Boss.”

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“Is this the new novel you are serializing?”

“Ugh.”

“Hmm, it’s fun, but… It feels a little light. a little… There are some parts that are annoying because they don’t seem to fit the facts.”

“But it’s fun, right?”

“Yes. That’s really amazing.”

Conan Saga─ The Conan the Barbarian series is the prototype of all protagonist-centered fantasy.

This fantasy, called the ‘world of swords and magic’, later led to DnD and had a huge influence on the formation of the video game worldview that led to TRPG-CRPG.

If the novel ‘Don Quixote’ is the father of all modern literature.

The ‘Conan the Barbarian’ series is the father of all subcultures!

“It’s okay as long as it’s fun.”

“I think I understand why you wrote this novel under a different pen name. Certainly, if critics in the capital read this novel, it will be met with a great deal of criticism.”

“Huh? Oh, that’s not really the reason.”

What does it matter to me whether critics criticize me or not?

Critics originally tended to ignore whether it was past life or present life.

“Then why did you hide your pen name?”

“If the magazine company finds out that I am Homer, won’t they try to raise the manuscript fee?”

“… Yes?”

My goal is to sow the seeds of genre fiction in the pulp fiction market.

To do this, as many magazines as possible had to be sold and as many people as possible had to read the novel. I don’t want magazine prices to rise.

“And, there is one more advantage to using a new pen name.”

“What are the benefits?”

“It’s easy to be ignored.”

“… Yes?”

Simply put, it can increase the probability of aspiring writers thinking, ‘Even if I write, I can write better than this.’

Rough sentences, messy historical research, linear plot, flat characters… These characteristics of pulp fiction make readers fall into the strange illusion that ‘even if I write it, I will write it better than this.’

Edgar Rice Burroughs, famous as the author of ‘Tarzan,’ was one of those cases where he picked up a pen while reading pulp fiction and thought, ‘I could write better than this.’

“Then isn’t there only a drawback? ?”

“That’s the advantage. Hehe… .”

“… I think you are a very special person. It is difficult for an ordinary person like me to understand your thoughts.”

“Think simply. Every reader is a potential writer. Then, increasing readers means increasing writers.”

No matter how much money you have, no matter how much fame you have, if you don’t have a culture to enjoy, it’s a dead life.

A person’s soul can be filled only with literature.

That’s why I’m stealing works from my past life in this world. Creating soil and sowing seeds where new literature can sprout.

“But what does your new pen name mean?”

“Huh? No, well, just. I decided it randomly.”

At Shion’s question, I felt embarrassed and averted my gaze.

I can’t stand feeling a little embarrassed every time I mention my pen name.

But honestly, I can’t stand it.

“Herodotus… It feels somewhat similar to the pen name ‘Homer’ that you previously used.”

“That’s right.”

Father of Western History.

The person who invented the discipline called ‘history’ itself.

Herodotus.

That was my second pen name.

“Well, by the way, young master.”

“Huh?”

“When do you plan to write the next story?”

“… Phew, isn’t it fun?”

“Well, well, I’m so curious about the next story that it’s hard to hold back.”

“I’ve written something, so I’ll show it to you.”

“Thank you… !”

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The first serialized version of ‘Conan Saga’ was soon released to the world.

Since I created a separate pen name for the magazine serial, there was no chance of it becoming a hot topic because it was Homer’s new work.

Instead, ‘half and half’ spread rapidly among the lower classes due to its cheap accessibility.

“Hey, have you read this magazine?”

“Half and half? Well, isn’t it a cheap magazine that costs a few pennies? Even if you read something like that, you just turn your eyes away.”

“This is not the case again! There’s a work called Conan Saga being serialized, and it’s really fun! Should I say that it touches a man’s heart? Anyway, read it!”

“What is it about that you make such a fuss?”

“The story is about a barbarian from a barbarian tribe named Conan, destroying his enemies… .”

“Ehey. Is this another novel like that? I don’t like novels that are just that provocative.”

“That’s not it! Conan is a hero! A passionate and just hero who touches the hearts of men!”

“Hmm, since you say that, I’m curious. I should read it too.”

In particular, it received an explosive response through word of mouth among workers at a magic tool factory.

“Conan the Barbarian is a true man! Loyalty, love, violence!”

“K, I also want to follow the example of the barbarian. Nobles always show off and act condescendingly, but aren’t barbarians like barbarians truly just?”

Unlike the violent films that had previously flooded the market, Conan the Barbarian’s character of a ‘noble barbarian’ was refreshing but not unpleasant.

The appearance of Conan, a pure and noble barbarian, was also in line with the ‘chivalry’ of existing knightly literature.

The line, “Civilized people are ruder than barbarians because they don’t split their heads when they say rude things,” resonated with readers who were suffering from the absurdity of society.

Of course, there were not only good reviews.

“Tsk, I can’t believe I can’t believe how fun it is to read such a simple novel. I can understand the level.”

“There is not enough research on magic… Why is this so popular? There were more than one or two parts that bothered me while watching.”

As the work became more popular, critical voices against it also grew louder.

The linear story, where everything revolves around the main character, had many parts that, when viewed objectively, lacked probability or verisimilitude.

The lack of data research and historical research was one of the reasons why the work was criticized. Since the ‘sword and sorcery’ genre was created by the imagination of people on Earth, it was impossible to avoid criticism of historical research in fantasy where magic truly exists.

As a result, readers’ reactions to the work were divided into two types.

“I want to write interesting works like this!”

“Even if I use it, I will use it better than this!”

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Publisher ‘Half and Half’.

Just like when Don Quixote was published, countless fan letters arrived this time.

“These are all fan letters that arrived to me?”

“Yes, author… .”

Is there anything different from then?

[No matter how smart you are as a barbarian, isn’t it frustrating to deliberately jump into danger just to keep one promise? I was expecting it because it was an exciting novel…]

[hello? My name is Cléan, the head mage of the Gray Magic Tower. I am writing this letter because there are parts of the description of magic in the work that do not fit the facts. In the case of ancient magic depicted in the story…]

[Isn’t this a plagiarism from Don Quixote?]

Fans were fans, but they were anti-fans.