Surviving as a Writer in the British Empire - Surviving as a Writer in the British Empire chapter 40

Hero(3)

In recent months James, the manager of an ordinary trading company in London, has been in a terrible mood.

Let’s go over what has been noisy for a while with ‘The economy is in a recession and who is responsible for it?’ No matter how good or bad the game goes, his salary goes down anyway, and there’s always not much work.

Still, the reason why he felt like a dog was because of another identity he had.

James was a son who was not ashamed of his parents, a faithful father to his wife, and a bit blunt father to his two daughters, but at the same time.

He was an executive at the Baker Street Irregulars… in short, the proud Sherlockian fan club of Baker Street residents.

Of course, there are as many Sherlockian clubs in London as there are stars in the sky.

As such, it was often the case that a single member belonged to several clubs.

But James was a little different from the others.

She ran a fan club more enthusiastically because of her pride in living on Baker Street, the background of Sherlock, and because she was one of the founders.

I only declined because I was busy with my current life, but if I had time, I could have taken on the position of the club’s representative.

But that remote island of life came to an end a few months ago.

＜The Last Case of Sherlock Holmes＞.

The end of Sherlock Holmes. All clubs were speechless in shock and horror.

What followed was anger.

—What is the final case? Don’t be funny. I will do a protest demonstration. I will never forgive you!

Such thoughts swept through all the London Sherlockian clubs, and some of them were really violent. Of course, it was destroyed in vain by Scotland Yard’s bludgeoning.

Anyway, after going through that once, all that was left was emptiness. The current situation was no different from that of a broken kite.

‘Damn it, damn Conan Doyle! Is the author leaving Holmes dead to be such a boring historical novel…!’

That’s why he led the boycott of Arthur Conan Doyle’s new film, The Exiles.

The effect was nice, but did they say revenge doesn’t produce anything? Nothing filled the void in my heart.

In the meantime.

“uh? This?”

He bought it like a habit to satisfy his thirst for Sherlock, but he realized something strange while opening ＜Strand Magazine＞, which was disappointing and disappointing every time.

The illustration on the cover of a middle-aged gentleman standing tall on top of Big Ben, waving a muffler.

and the text below it.

The title ＜Dawnbringer＞ and the author name Hanslo Jin.

“Hmm, it’s Hanslo’s work…”

Frankly, it didn’t suit his taste very well.

＜Peter Perry＞ felt like chasing a dream too much, and ＜Vincent Villiers＞ was a bit better, but the obsession with money and power was too worldly.

As for money and achievements… because my work life was enough.

But if you didn’t buy it, there’s no reason not to look at what you bought anyway.

He opened the magazine without much expectation.

and.

“Ohhhhh!?”

As if realizing something, his eyes widened.

Things like this happened all over London.

“and······! Crazy, crazy!”

“It’s cool that a mechanical device can become armor in an instant… isn’t it?”

After defeating the villains targeting citizens in the darkness of London, he leaves with a wonderful line.

There was no profit or honor there. There was just justice.

To protect the streets of London at night, defeat the legendary creature that threatens the citizens at night, search for the evil devil who killed his parents and took his left arm, and learn various oriental martial arts and western techniques. Fallen nobles accustomed to.

Readers gradually fell into the narrative of the avenger and savior.

There was no man whose heart wouldn’t resonate with such a romantic story.

“Awesome. How can you be such a perfect hero!”

Even during this period, London boasted a public security vacuum that was actually called the Outer Magician.

It’s not that “Sherlock Holmes” was popular for nothing.

Citizens had no choice but to sympathize with, admire, and praise Edmund Earhart’s actions on behalf of Sherlock.

—I wish I had a person like this by my side.

─I want to become friends with such a person.

—I want to become this kind of person.

It penetrated that heart properly.

From noble mtl dot com

furthermore.

“Everyone, thank you for coming to the meeting today.”

Even James, who was physically and mentally exhausted from overtime and work stress, held a meeting after a long time with his heart pounding like a boy in love for the first time.

However, the theme of the Sherlockians that day was not the resurrection of Sherlock Holmes.

“Have you seen Dunbringer in this Street Magazine?”

“No, you haven’t seen it yet? My God, you are losing half your life.”

It spread like a kind of syndrome.

This wasn’t just a fan feeling.

“Hmmm, yes. Certainly London nights are dangerous.”

“Well, there are always werewolves like that. The killer from the second case, aren’t those people common?”

“Heh, it’s been a while since my blood is boiling…”

Most of them had some sort of strange box on the table.

The chest’s lid was studded with two brass crosses that acted as sliding secret locks.

And inside the box were more crosses, a pair of handguns, a flask of powdered brass, a bible, holy water, a brass candlestick, a hammer, a wooden stake, a rosary… It was a ‘vampire hunting kit’.

Looking at them with satisfaction, James nodded.

“Heh heh, yes. So, what if we formed a vigilante? As Dunbringer said, to protect ladies and children. Isn’t that a gentleman’s duty?”

“Hoho…”

“Kuh-hum, yes, it was for today that I learned Baritz (a creative martial art of ＜Sherlock Holmes＞ performed with a cane).”

“Then do you know? Will we discover Newton’s legacy?”

“What are you doing, let’s go right away!”

now.

London enters the age of vigilantes.

***

“hahahaha! success, success!! It is a great success!!”

London’s media conglomerate that publishes ＜Strand Magazine＞, George Nums Publishing House.

And the president of the publishing house, George Nuels, delightedly drew a steep curve on the graph drawn ＜This Week’s Sales Report＞.

“Finally, finally!! You mean recovery in a few months!!”

“Congratulations, boss!!”

“It’s worth waiting patiently!!”

The editors in charge of ＜Strand Magazine＞ also cheered in sympathy with the president.

In other words, a few months after ＜Sherlock Holmes＞ came to an abrupt conclusion. They were like a quince.

Sherlock Holmes One Tool. The end of the world without Arthur Conan Doyle.

I even heard public ridicule, ‘Now that Strand Magazine is over, why don’t you come over here?’ Perhaps, only they themselves can sympathize with how long they spent the time of humiliation and persecution.

But that also ends today.

Along with Hanslo Jin and ＜Dawnbringer＞, who were recruited by the president himself! They will be able to return to a proud life again!

More precisely, the bonuses for the quarter were to be expected.

Of course, I’m still recovering.

It is impossible to return to the sales of those days when ＜Sherlock Holmes＞ was serialized at once. Anyway, it’s a monthly serial.

However, it is true that sales have recovered to 20% of the peak.

Above all, the reason why Hanslo Jin’s recruitment was successful this time.

“Sales in territories where we weren’t buying before are noticeably up!”

“The response is better than expected? Even at the Sherlockian Club, they say they voluntarily promote their works.”

“Look, didn’t I say that there is no more medicine than Hanslo Jin!!”

George Nuels exclaimed proudly.

In fact, he himself had no idea that it would be so successful.

It was true that he hoped to give a new wind by using Hanslo Jin, but this was more to bring in a new readership, especially the Hanslians, than to appease the Sherlockians.

To be honest, after suddenly killing the main character, ‘Part 3 is over! It’s complete!’ and ran away, but how many readers would accept that?

As a reader, not a seller, they couldn’t help but understand the feeling.

Surprisingly, not only the Hansleyans, who were the target, but also the Sherlockians they had given up moved!

“Okay, great! Since it happened like this, they send out massive publicity. The successor to Sherlock Holmes, London’s guardian Edmund Earhart! Spread the same phrase in all our magazines! When you get into the wind, you have to hit it fast! They also sell a special ‘phantom species hunting kit’ that is a modified version of the existing ‘vampire hunting kit’?!”

“Yes, of course!”

“Don’t forget to make and sell armor in a plausible shape! Of course sold separately!”

And in this era, in London, the world’s best central city, George Nums moved quickly as a resourceful man proudly called ‘magazine king’.

He encouraged this trend in every way he could. poured oil The fire grew even more!

How many pipe tobacco companies were affiliated with selling Sherlock Holmes.

George Nuels didn’t forget that and quickly submitted a copyright application and entered into partnerships with hardware companies.

It’s all money, money!

“Um, but boss. I received an official letter from Westminster Abbey, where Isaac Newton’s grave is located, saying that too many fanboys are coming, but they can’t manage it…”

“Uh huh, what a big deal. If you do anything, ask for an admission fee! Having a lot of customers in the capitalist market is an advantage, but what’s the problem?”

“No, there are still people digging up the nearby land with shovels…”

“We are just a publishing house! What can I do to get there! Make sure you take good care of it! Call Scotland Yard! No, in the first place, there weren’t many people who were digging cemeteries at night.”

“Oh, um… yes. And I got a call from The Royal Society complaining that Isaac Newton never did research on alchemy, which is prohibited by law?”

“Ignore it! Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t know that Newton made a fool of himself to make gold? Anyway, they know everything and do it for formality!”

“There is talk of an increasing number of unidentified vigilantes in Scotland Yard…”

“that······! Uh, isn’t that a good thing?”

In any case, there were stories of all sorts and minor incidents and accidents, but that was not a problem for them.

The employees of George Nums, who had already suffered too many terror attacks and death threats from the Sherlockians, were too strong to be swayed by such trifles.

“good! good! Let’s keep going like this! This is the beginning of our second golden age for Strand Magazine!”

Money comes in. For the company, that was the only thing that mattered.

***

Meanwhile.

─The endless plains. The star-studded night was like the sea…

“No, this is not it!”

Arthur Conan Doyle tore up the manuscript he was writing again.