Novelist Running Through Time - Chapter 196



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The Novelist Who Leapt Through Time Episode 196

“How are you doing these days?”

On a sunset evening, the church bell rings to signal prayer time, and a man and a woman pray in a field where the harvest has finished. And a small potato basket placed between the two.

There is a picture that depicts something like that.

This is Jean-François Millet’s Angelus.

Looking at this painting, which is considered one of the world’s most famous paintings, people said they could see a couple praying devoutly after finishing farming, giving thanks for the harvest.

However, someone claimed that sadness and anxiety were visible in this painting. It is even said that the potato basket placed between the couple is actually a baby’s coffin.

If this lunatic’s claim is true, the couple was not praying for gratitude for the harvest, but rather, in front of the baby’s cold body, praying for his soul to go to heaven.

The madman who made this claim was Salvador Dali, and in 1963, an X-ray survey at the Louvre discovered a blurry sketch of what looked like a coffin beyond a basket of potatoes.

That is the bizarre tale related to ‘Manjong’.

This is a story that only artists with bad personalities would be thrilled by.

I was exactly that type.

In any case, the title of the novel ‘The Angel of Death’ was naturally taken from Millet’s ‘The Angel of Death’.

And the story behind it was also like that.

For both the couple in the picture and me, there were immature things that needed to be commemorated.

Now that the long process of commemoration is over, I feel relieved.

Of course, my past doesn’t change. My terrible mistake is still stuffed beyond time, and there is no way to undo it.

But now, holding that regret and sadness in my heart, I just feel like I’m ready to move on a little bit.

Looking back, I was a person who really didn’t make any progress.

Everything is fixed in that time.

My habits, hobbies, and even my writing skills have all solidified as a clumsy and stubborn literature student in my mid-20s who knows nothing but literature.

So these days, I’m trying something new.

Even if I spent a bit of money, I ate expensive food that I had never tried before, asked my friends of the same age(?), and tried on clothes that young people wear these days.

But the biggest change among them all… …

“I’m growing plants.”

It means starting to take care of something.

After speaking, it was time to water it.

I carefully got up from my seat and headed to the window.

And then carefully lifted the spray gun.

“You know what? They say that succulents should not be given too much water. Because they were children who lived in a barren desert… ”

“… … ”

“So instead of using a watering can, we water with a sprayer.”

Cheek, chik.

Each drop of water from the spray landed on the leaves. Just looking at the moist, colored soil also makes you feel good.

However, just because you may need to water it occasionally does not mean you need to pay less attention to it.

You should always move the location so that it can receive sunlight, and above all, you should ventilate it several times a day to ensure good ventilation.

“I felt it while raising succulents, and it was surprising that so much effort and effort goes into caring for such a small life. What about people?”

“hmm… … ”

“After I started raising succulents, I realized that I wasn’t even taking good care of myself. So these days, I tend to go for walks or watch movies to take care of myself. “Going to the movies alone is also quite fun.”

Oops, as I was spraying water while talking, I ended up giving more water than I expected.

I put down the spray bottle and returned to the couch.

“Anyway, this is how I am doing these days. It’s fun to watch the succulents grow day by day. Oh, why are they nicknamed ‘succulents’ because they are succulents? however… ”

I asked a question about something that had bothered me earlier.

“Why does Boss Baek cringe every time the word ‘succulent’ comes out?”

“… !”

Startle!

This time, Baek Seol trembled.

It was something I didn’t understand, but instead of answering, Lim Yang-wook just made nonsense.

“Hoo. As the poison/evil type evolves, it turns into a grass type… After all, the world of Pokemon is… ”

It hasn’t been a day or two since Lim Yang-wook brings up stories about Japanese animation that only he knows, so I thought I’d do the same.

As he was looking at Lim Yang-wook with an expression that said he would kindly listen to whatever nonsense he was talking about, Lim Yang-wook looked angry and got angry.

“Why are you looking like a Buddha? “It’s frustrating.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay…” Working at a company is very difficult, right? “Would you like me to order something delicious?”

“I was very fortunate… … ”

bang!

Lim Yang-wook slammed the table and glared at me with burning eyes.

Baekseol, who was sitting next to him, had turned into something similar to a saggy rice cake, which didn’t look out of the ordinary.

“I know you are doing very well… … ”

“I didn’t feel comfortable-”

“But we couldn’t live comfortably! “You bastard!”

EP 12–Marionette

There are a few things whose quality goes up and down depending on the season. Some representative examples include fish, semiconductors, and the intelligence of politicians.

Just as defense sashimi tastes best in December and memory semiconductors are freshest when purchased in season, the intelligence of politicians also peaks during election season.

In particular, since it is the nature of political creatures to forget everything they have promised after the election, it can be said that this is the best time to look for smart politicians.

Therefore, the fresh minds of politicians with IQs exceeding 380 could easily come up with these thoughts after seeing the writer’s new work, Manjong (晩鐘).

‘uh? A writer touched on abortion as the subject of his new novel?’

‘The book is quite problematic, isn’t it?’

‘I guess I can receive support from women’s rights groups/Christian groups just by criticizing/defending on social media?’

‘But no matter how excited public opinion is, the National Assembly cannot control issues related to bioethics, right?’

‘Then we are the ones responsible for the trouble, and the Constitutional Court takes responsibility?’

‘It’s the worst?’

It was an instant that ‘Manjong’ was thrown as kindling during the election season.

The election is an all-out war between the communist party and the communist party. The Republic of Korea is split into two pieces, and all sectors of society are being hit head-on.

‘Manjong’ was also caught up in a part of that huge battlefield.

Political debate is meaningless. Bioethics is an issue that has already been dealt with for decades or hundreds of years, and the logic and counterarguments have already been established, so the only thing left is to choose between pros and cons. And those who care have already decided for or against.

Therefore, bringing up the issue of abortion while talking about ‘manjong’ was not an act of essentially solving a problem, but was closer to a publicity stunt to make supporters feel good.

Politicians received votes by making their supporters feel good with provocative remarks.

And even after casting their votes, the highly elated supporters did not feel better and headed to Baekhak Library.

like that,

Baekhak Bookstore’s public relations and marketing team leader Eunbi Lee’s hell has begun.

Aaaaaaaaaaaah!

The name of that hell is ‘Civil Complaint Hell’.

It’s a hell of having to deal with endless complaints asking, ‘Why on earth did you publish a novel like that?’

However, that did not mean that other people were at ease.

Lim Yang-wook slowly raised the window blinds and glanced out at the protesters surrounding the entrance to Baekhak Bookstore.

Because of the times, the crowds did not come out in droves to demonstrate like in Ssang8nyeon.

However, civic groups sponsored by various political parties systematically conducted interviews with reporters in front of Baekhak Bookstore, took pictures holding highly visible signs, and then spread criticism of Baekhak Bookstore all over the internet.

“You’re screwed.”

After briefly summarizing the current situation, Lim Yang-wook lowered the blinds again.

And then I turned my eyes back to the inside of the president’s office.

The owner, squatting among the succulents and in ‘succulent’ mode, caught my eye.

“Moon In-seop, you bastard… ”

“Boss, please wake up. “There were six interview requests alone.”

Lim Yang-wook tried to wake up Baek-seol, who was muttering strange things with wide eyes, shaking her shoulders.

However, Baekseol, who had already turned into a succulent plant, could not be easily pulled out of the ground.

Lim Yang-wook expressed his disapproval as he wiped the sweat from his forehead and scalp.

“Oh my, is it already ruined…?” ”

It looks like the boss is broken. Well, I’ve been using it for too long!

Im Yang-wook, the shadow lord who rules Baekhak Bookstore from the dark, leaving the scarecrow president sitting, stroked his beard and began to think.

There was no way to stop the fight anyway. Because their purpose was the fight itself.

A Christian organization sponsored by the Republican Party and a women’s rights group sponsored by the Democratic Party said, ‘You guys have a point. There is a 0% chance of saying, ‘Let’s find a way to compromise together.’

The purpose of the political figures who ignited this fight in the first place was not to resolve pending issues, but to rally supporters with provocative language and bring voters to the polls on election day.

Therefore, trying to solve social issues is in vain.

Once the election season is over, things are expected to quiet down on their own.

Until then, Eunbi Lee, head of the public relations team, will have no choice but to endure the beatings.

“I hope you will be reborn in paradise… ”

Lim Yang-wook concluded his thoughts neatly, praying for the peace of the public relations team leader.

And then I moved on to the next concern.

This is where the real problem begins.

Currently, Baekhak Bookstore is following the line of Baek Do-hyun, president of the strategic planning office at the headquarters, and is in conflict with the line of his eldest son, who leads Baekhak Financial Group.

At this time, what if the other side criticizes, saying, ‘You’re ruining the reputation of Baekhak Group by not being able to properly protect one writer?’

I’m running out of things to say.

This is not a problem that will end with you scratching your head shamelessly.

This also serves as a justification for the board of directors of Baekhak Bookstore to fire President Baek Seol and install a new president from the eldest son’s side.

“Whoa… … ”

The literary man has grown too big.

Although Lim Yang-wook himself made it that way, it grew much larger than Lim Yang-wook expected.

I’m not talking about money. Even though sales soared at a rate that made people’s eyes roll every time a writer occasionally hit a home run, Baekhak Bookstore’s main income has always been from study materials. A single writer cannot beat a book of problems sold in bookstores across the country.

But the impact is different.

It has been proven several times that one star writer can lead the entire industry, and the national issues at the Booker International, Cannes Best Actress Awards, and Hugo Awards were a storm that could never be caused by a problem book. Companies burn billions on 15 seconds of evening advertising. So what is the monetary value of the attention that galvanizes a nation for a few weeks? What if that also includes foreign countries?

Even Baekhak Library, under the leadership of President Baekseol, was successfully turning such external attention into business income.

Korean literature finally opened a regular export route to the United States. Large publishers regularly import Korean literature and place it in American bookstores. why? Because it sells.

And of course, the place from which those large publishers imported books was Baekhak Library, and the reason Korean literature was sold in the United States was, of course, because writers were promoting it on a national level.

It was like that.

Before we knew it, the writer had reached the pinnacle of the publishing management business called “S-Class Celebrity Who Makes Publishing Profits.”

In that case, Lim Yang-wook also can’t let this big guy run wild like a colt let off its leash.

Because the writer is no longer just Lim Yang-wook, a small writer… …

* * *

“The expression is so disgusting.”

“I find it much more disgusting when you water the plants and the succulents squirm.”

In the meantime, Baekseol started to flinch every time he heard the sound of succulent.

Lim Yang-wook left the scarecrow boss, who had turned into green onion kimchi, behind him and smiled a menacing smile.

The writer shivered from the creeping chill.

“Depending on what you do, I could have been an angel or a devil, but you ended up ruining our company… ”

Lim Yang-wook’s black hand grabbed the writer’s shoulder.

“You went on a six-year hiatus as soon as you received the Hugo Award, and now you’re going to reorganize the company as soon as you return?”

Lim Yang-wook, smiling brightly, showed his face, but the writer quietly rolled his eyes like a guilty Chihuahua.

However, Lim Yang-wook did not miss the criminal and judged the writer in the name of team leader Lee Eun-bi, who was burning in hellfire.

“From now on, your schedule will be under the company’s control.”

“Well, that’s… !”

“This is public relations team leader Lee Eun-bi’s revenge. “Take it sweetly.”

* * *

“So I ended up going to the party… … ”

The long story is over.

Park Chang-woon, who didn’t know the story would go this long, was embarrassed and started sweating when asked the question, ‘I thought you wouldn’t come, but why did you come?’

It seems that the writer also needed someone to complain to.

“Is that so… ”

“But isn’t it too much? You have to act according to the company’s schedule for at least 8 hours a day… “This is the life of livestock, not humans.”

The man of letters turned a significant portion of modern humans into livestock and sipped from his glass of water.

The writer didn’t even like that glass of water.

Drinking needlessly expensive bottled water out of a sparkling wine glass? It is the epitome of uselessness.

And this is a space full of such things-

In other words, it was the hotel’s banquet hall.