Chapter 105
Generally, it’s very hard for a writer’s first novel to take off.
Because before you can even talk about a work’s quality, it’s hard just to catch readers’ eyes.
You have to keep writing steadily, make your name known, and establish yourself as a reliable brand readers can trust.
Only then are you finally qualified to stand at the starting line where your work can be judged.
But Aurora is a princess.
The emperor’s daughter, daughter of the empire’s ruler.
Her name carried far greater impact than that of most well-known authors.
There was no long tunnel of indifference for an unknown newcomer to endure.
Thanks to that.
The mere fact that it was a book written by a princess was enough to send people flocking to the bookstores.
A lofty status so high that even catching a glimpse of her face was difficult.
Because it was a chance to steal a peek into the mind of royalty for the price of a few coins.
And so, exactly two weeks after <The Terminally Ill Young Lady Declares Divorce> was published,
the empire was buzzing over Aurora’s novel.
Not only people who could read, but even the illiterate were carrying the book around and asking someone who could read to read it aloud for them.
Not only that.
“And then! When Isabella finally couldn’t take it anymore and declared divorce to the grand duke, that arrogant grand duke’s face just rotted like mold……!”
Eloquent speakers read the book aloud before crowds of dozens.
Quick-witted traveling troupes staged plays and raked in money.
Whenever the actress declared the satisfying downfall, nobles and commoners alike clenched their fists and cheered in catharsis.
It had only been two weeks.
That was all it took for Aurora’s novel to become a bestseller.
It seemed like all that remained was smooth sailing.
“Did you all hear the news? That Lady Lanchester finally separated from her husband?”
The princess’s salon.
The atmosphere was especially heated today.
“Oh, my, really? She’s actually going through with the divorce?”
“Well, the two of them were always rather distant to begin with. It’s a wonder they waited this long.”
The noble ladies covering their mouths with fans had eyes that sparkled with interest.
“I wonder what suddenly got into her to make her decide on a divorce?”
“After Lady Lanchester read Her Highness’s novel, she kept complaining about her husband’s behavior, and then she went back to her parents’ home.”
“What happened to the perfumery she runs? It’s so famous that hardly any noblewoman doesn’t use its perfume.”
“She took back every last bit of ownership too. That place had been set up by her family when she married, after all.”
“The baron must be sick over it.”
“I’d think so. The family’s source of money was cut off overnight.”
“Does he even have the right to blame anyone? He should’ve treated her well from the start.”
“That’s true enough.”
Someone else’s downfall is treated as the sweetest gossip in high society.
The unprecedented divorce craze sweeping the empire these days.
From noble ladies to common women, those dissatisfied with married life were beginning to divorce, inspired by Isabella’s bold actions.
They cast off every shackle and restraint and set out to find their own lives.
Just now, even one of the salon members, Lady Windsor, had divorced and left.
The gossip kept pouring in without pause.
Thanks to it, all of high society was so stuffed it was practically about to burst.
“More than that, it was truly amazing, Your Highness.”
The noble ladies who had been in the middle of a heated discussion all turned their gazes to one place at once.
To Aurora, the author of <The Terminally Ill Young Lady Declares Divorce>, currently the most popular romance novel.
“I mean the scene where the grand duke and Isabella reunite. I got chills. Especially when the grand duke knelt and begged forgiveness—it was just…….”
“I didn’t really like it. The grand duke caused so much havoc—why should she forgive him? She should’ve slapped him and thrown him out at once.”
“Still, thanks to the grand duke, Isabella’s incurable illness was cured. And it looks like Isabella still couldn’t completely forget him. The part where she sniffled and poured out her grievances was pitiful, but cute too, I guess?”
“Exactly! When she said he should hug her for every wrong he’d done…… ah-wooo!”
“Ahahaha…….”
Watching the ruckus these aunties were making, Aurora forced a stiff smile.
She had certainly achieved more than she’d hoped for, but Aurora didn’t feel entirely at ease.
All she’d wanted was to share an entertaining novel, yet somehow she’d become a home-wrecking destroyer of families.
Of course, even if it was only the long-suppurating wounds between spouses finally bursting open, she couldn’t completely escape responsibility for pulling the final trigger.
She felt like her insides were burning black.
Unaware of how uneasy she was, the noble ladies’ sticky gazes refused to leave her alone.
“So, Your Highness! When do you plan to show us your next work?”
“A-next work?”
“Yes. Ever since this novel, the literary world has been eagerly waiting for a new story from Your Highness.”
“I’m sure Your Highness will write another incredible novel. I’m looking forward to it.”
The gazes that turned to her all at once were full of anticipation.
There was no way she could answer, ‘Actually, it wasn’t me but my slave who wrote it.’
Aurora strained to lift the corners of her stiffened mouth, pretending to be graceful.
“Thank you for believing in me. Of course, I’m also planning a new work.”
“Really?”
“Yes, of course. It’ll be even more daring than before, so please look forward to it.”
***
“Leon! You have to write the next one!”
The moment the tea party in the salon ended, Aurora hurried straight to Leon.
Needless to say, the real author of this novel was not Aurora but Leon.
Unfortunately, Aurora’s own literary talent was pitiful at best.
So to write a next work, his help was absolutely necessary.
At Aurora’s shout as she flung the door open, Leon, who had been lounging on the sofa, was hit with a wave of sudden fatigue.
“You barged in out of nowhere and now you’re saying something so absurd. How long has it even been since I finished this one?”
“Something huge just happened in the salon!”
With her cheeks flushed bright red, Aurora strode across the room.
“The whole empire is in an uproar because of what you wrote. The noble ladies looked ready to wring my neck right then and there, asking when the next work would come out.”
“That’s your burden to bear, Your Highness. You’re the author of this novel, after all.”
Leon shrugged with an indifferent expression.
He was nothing more than an anonymous ghostwriter; the public glory and spotlight had gone to Aurora.
So this burden, too, was naturally the weight she had to shoulder.
“Don’t be like that. Help me just one more time. Please?”
“If I help you just one more time, you’ll ask me for two more favors after that. I’m not falling for it.”
“I’ll hug you.”
“…….”
Leon was momentarily at a loss for words at the shameless proposal.
Aurora didn’t miss the opening and sat down beside Leon.
“You’re tired from writing, right? This big sis will take all of Leon’s fatigue away. You can be as spoiled as you want. Come on.”
She spread both arms wide toward Leon. Leon glanced at them before reluctantly looking away.
“I still won’t do it.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Rreeeally?”
“Yes.”
His wavering lasted only a moment; Leon’s attitude remained firm.
“Do you think a novel just pops out that easily? I’m not writing anything until I’ve had enough rest.”
“And when will that be?”
“Who knows? A year? Two? I’m thinking of trying my hand at running an orchard in the meantime.”
“A year is way too long! At most a week. I can’t wait any longer than that.”
Dealing with Aurora as she made these ridiculous demands, Leon let out a sigh.
‘I’m not going to spend my whole life writing nothing but this stuff, am I?’
He had no idea how he was supposed to escape this hell.
Aurora didn’t look like she’d ever let him go, so it seemed he’d have to persuade someone else…….
‘The emperor or the empress, maybe.’
No one else came to mind who had the authority to free a slave owned by a princess.
But how was a slave like Leon supposed to persuade them?
The future looked utterly bleak.
-Knock, knock.
That was when it happened.
A knock sounded at the study door.
“Your Highness, Sir Aslan has come to see you.”
“Sir Aslan? What brings him here…? Show him in first.”
The door opened, and an old man with a sturdy build entered.
It was Aslan, the former commander of the Imperial Knights.
Aslan lowered his head.
“It’s been a long time, Your Highness Aurora.”
“Welcome, Sir Aslan. It’s unusual for you to come to the princess’s palace. How are you feeling?”
“I am well. I apologize for causing you concern.”
Aslan had led the Imperial Knights in the subjugation of the witch Cersia.
He had confronted Leon, who had been trying to escape from Renoa, but was ultimately defeated and suffered considerable injuries.
It wasn’t a fatal wound, but because he was so old, it took quite some time for him to recover in bed.
“That left eye……”
Aurora’s gaze lingered on the scar at one corner of Aslan’s face.
A sword scar ran vertically across his left eye.
It stood out sharply even on the face of this veteran who had weathered countless battlefields.
“Ah, this?”
Aslan calmly touched the scar and looked over at Leon, who was sitting on the sofa.
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to recover sight in my left eye.”
“How unfortunate…….”
Aurora, who had been looking at him with sympathetic eyes, suddenly turned her head.
“Leon. Hurry up and apologize.”
“What?”
“Not ‘What?’ You’re the reason Sir Aslan was injured, so you should apologize, of course.”
At once, Leon frowned in annoyance.
“They were the ones who tried to kill me first. And now you want me to apologize? Even if it’s your order, I can’t accept this one.”
It was a battlefield where life and death were on the line.
If he had made even the slightest mistake, Leon would not be standing here now.
To ask him to apologize to someone who had tried to kill him—it was utterly unacceptable.
“Leon.”
“Please stop, Your Highness. What he says is entirely correct.”
A gentle smile touched Aslan’s lips.
“There is nothing more unbecoming than a swordsman quibbling over the outcome of battle. This scar is entirely the result of my own lack of skill. I have no reason to receive an apology, nor any right to bear a grudge.”
“If Sir Aslan says that much…….”
It was a clean acknowledgment befitting a man who had once stood at the apex of the knights.
Since the person involved said as much, Aurora ultimately had no choice but to back down.
She awkwardly worked her lips, then changed the subject.
“What brings you here to see me, Sir Aslan?”
“I came to make a request of Your Highness.”
“A request? What could you possibly need to ask of me…….”
Aslan’s one eye fixed on Leon, who was sprawled crookedly on the sofa.
“I would like to take the slave knight to the knights’ order for a while.”
“Leon?”
“During the witch subjugation, his swordsmanship was truly overwhelming. I believe both I and the knights have much to learn from him.”
At that, Leon jumped down from the sofa.
“Let’s go. I was feeling stiff from sitting around anyway, so this works out.”
He was in a bad mood anyway, so it seemed like the perfect way to blow off some steam.
However.
“No, I’ll refuse.”
Aurora had no intention of allowing it.
“Leon will not be holding a sword from now on. He’ll be holding only a pen for the rest of his life, so keep that in mind.”