The reactions of aspiring writers facing the mountain of “short stories” I had prepared changed over time.

“Huhuh! This, this is an unpublished short story by Homer!”

“I’m just glad to be alive… Huhuh…”

“Homer is a god!”

At first, everyone was over the moon.

The aspiring writers, all fans of fiction, picked up the manuscripts and started reading with big grins at the thought of diving into unpublished works.

However, as time went on, more and more students began to furrow their brows in confusion.

“Huhh… This, this agonizing thing is a novel…? What on earth is  writing…?”

“Hoo, this piece was something else… But, huh? There’s still this much left…?”

The short stories I prepared were specially selected for literary toughness training.

Many pieces didn’t quite fit the current era, and there were even some avant-garde writings mixed in. Struggling to read them all for enjoyment was a tall order.

“My eyes are dry… Huhuh… My eyes… Please get a priest for me…”

“I could read this all day long!”

Eventually, by the time the lecture was wrapping up, over half the students were completely wiped out.

Still, not all hope was lost; there were standout students among them.

A handful of die-hard fans, like they were preparing to devour the text, read through all the manuscripts and still felt hungry, so they started again from the top.

I checked the time and nodded, trying to lighten the mood.

“Everyone has worked hard. You can take the manuscripts with you. Even if they leak outside… um, as long as it’s not for publishing under your own name or anything like that, it’s fine.”

Most of these writings didn’t fit the current trends, but those pieces might still contribute to the evolution of literature in their own quirky way. They weren’t exactly the classics that would shake the world.

But honestly, the growth of these “aspiring writers” was my main goal.

“Haa, hahah… Homer’s unpublished works…”

“I want to read just a little more…”

“I need a pen! I want to put this inspiration into words!”

Even now, some students had stars in their eyes, eager to write. New seeds of creativity were sprouting in this world!

Even if the works born from this enthusiasm might not jive with contemporary tastes…

If I find them entertaining, that’s all that matters.

I smiled contentedly. I had a good feeling that these folks would pen some fun novels.

* * *

“The Sorrows of Young Werther” was basically a hot mess of melodrama.

A young dude having an affair with a married woman, his friendship with her husband, the resulting angst, and romance. The posh dilemma of the female protagonist caught between two dudes had a structure reminiscent of past romance dramas.

In simple terms, you could say this novel had a straightforward and provocative plot.

Yet, the reason this work is labeled a “classic” and remains popular?

“Could this just be a product of the author’s imagination? Clearly, Homer must’ve had a passionate, heart-wrenching love story just like  Werther….”

“He probably used literature as a way to heal his own wounds, to comfort himself….”

It was likely because he delicately acknowledged the vulnerable aspects of humanity that anyone could relate to it.

While the content itself wasn’t all that different from a regular romance novel, Goethe had this knack for brutally showcasing the human soul while gently comforting it.

He went digging into the deepest emotions that usually get buried.

It’s only natural to comfort oneself by pointing out that everyone has such weaknesses; hence, it isn’t surprising that passionate young people were captivated by this work.

This ultimately resulted in some messy situations.

“…I love you. I know it’s wrong to feel this way towards you when you’re engaged to someone else. But if suppressing my own feelings is also a sin against the Almighty, then I wanted to convey my feelings to you at least once.”

“Isn’t it a bit late for that confession? I’ve been in love with you too…”

“…But─.”

“Shh. No need for excuses after confessing first, right? Even if I have to erase my family name completely, I won’t hide my love anymore.”

Engagements among noble families were breaking left and right.

What would usually draw the church’s and family’s ire—

“Love is the most precious emotion bestowed upon us by the Almighty. No promise should come before love.”

“Hmm, if that’s how you feel, I’ll speak to Lord Laheiten of the Fríden family about breaking the engagement. We might lose some privileges, but the family’s glory isn’t more precious than our daughter. What’s truly important is often invisible…”

No one was up in arms about these broken engagements.

Everyone had experienced, in one way or another, the emotional impact of Homer’s works.

The saying “The most important things are invisible,” a lesson from The Little Prince, lingered in people’s hearts.

And then—

“…We pray that the Holy Spirit grants us wisdom, as we are lacking, and we will commence the council.”

The Vatican began a fresh interpretation of doctrine.

* * *

The council convened.

All the church’s cardinals gathered in the Vatican.

“The reason for this council is to discuss ‘suicides,’ which we have turned a blind eye to until now.”

Leading the council was Cardinal Garnier.

Some cardinals were irked that the youngest among them was taking charge, but as Cardinal Garnier continued to speak, they had no choice but to sit and listen quietly.

They were certainly not about to challenge his points.

“The law crushes the strong, and the Gospel comforts the weak.”

The Holy Spirit descended upon the council.

As Cardinal Garnier spoke, a divine glimmer sparkled in his eyes, intensifying his aura. A brilliant white light enveloped the council, affirming his faith.

“Our authority should only serve faith and belief, and must not be wielded to oppress the weak.”

“Those who are in such despair as to contemplate s*e are also lambs in need of the Lord’s comfort. We have a duty to console and guide them—not to reprimand or blame, but to cherish and comfort them wisely. We need to understand them. This is indeed our offering to God, and an act of reverence in His presence.”

“Let’s not forget. Our Lord is love and the Word. He is comfort and peace.”

“Let’s strive to embody Him. It isn’t as hard as it seems. The Savior and the Lord are one. He always acts to save us. We must do the same.”

In a council touched by the Holy Spirit, no cardinal dared be swayed by irreverent temptations.

“The Lord is watching over us.”

“…Thank you, Lord.”

Indeed, the Lord was keeping an eye on them.

That was enough.

“This concludes the council. Let’s spread the Gospel.”

Thus, the Vatican formed a priestly order dedicated to studying the psychology of “suicides” and devising prevention strategies.

This order was made up of the most tolerant and progressive priests within the Vatican—outsiders challenging the church’s authority.

Cardinal Garnier personally addressed them.

“You must be more merciful and compassionate than any other priest. Forget the Holy Father’s words, old laws, and council doctrines. Let only the Word of the Lord be your guiding light, and go comfort those we cannot see.”

These priests would engage with those struggling with suicidal thoughts, as well as the families of the deceased, listening to their stories, providing comfort, and recording everything to seek wisdom.

And so, they would help prevent potential future suicides.

They held funerals for those who had fallen victim to tragic fevers but hadn’t received proper rites simply because they had killed themselves.

They would honor their memories.

“It is vital that love prevail over all truths, and every action must be rooted in love. However, our papacy has grown too antiquated for that. Therefore, I will designate you as knights of God, tasked with preaching the Gospel in the humblest of places.”

“What will the name of this order be?”

“The New Doctrine. You will become the new church.”

Thus, the Evangelical Order of Knights was born, prioritizing the Word above the Papal authority.

* * *

In a building rented from the Knight Academy, the Literary Academy thrived.

As I gazed at the eager faces of aspiring writers, I couldn’t help but smile.

These youngsters would create the material… the masterpieces that I would read.

“To be a writer, you must surrender your work to the public. From the moment it’s published, it no longer belongs to you, but to the audience. So starting today, let’s consider serializing your works through a ‘magazine.’”

Having drilled the essence of short stories into the students, it was now time to showcase their fruits of labor.

I had already finished talks with the president of Half and Half.

“I plan to serialize your works weekly in the magazine, and we’ll rank them through ‘reader votes’ each week.”

Reader votes.

I intended to bring that modern concept from 21st-century comic magazines into this world.

It was a direct way to gauge the works’ popularity and gather feedback.

“And the student who claims the top spot in reader votes will have the chance to co-write with me.”

“…What? Co-writing…?”

“Yes. You’ll  write a new piece with me.”

“…!!”

I threw out some bait to encourage enthusiastic participation in the magazine serialization.

“I’ll teach you about the character limits and formats needed for magazine serialization.”

The students’ eyes sparkled with motivation, overflowing with eagerness.

Yet, I figured it was unlikely any of them would snag the top spot.

I’d be serializing a “new work” under the name “Herodotus,” the guy who previously serialized the “Conan Saga.”

If one of their works managed to outshine mine and grab the first spot…

Well, if a genius emerged, I’d happily ride their coattails. A superstar like that would easily produce something remarkable, even with a hack like me tagging along.

* * *

[Half and Half]

[New work by Herodotus, the author of ‘Conan Saga’, begins serialization!]

[Discover the tale of ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ now at Half and Half!]