Novelist Running Through Time
Chapter 37

TL: KSD

In the club room of the Popular Culture and Arts Study Club.

Behind Moon In-seop, who is typing a manuscript on his laptop, stood three assistant writers.

Kim Byul, who had been pondering with her arms crossed, made a decision.

“The female lead should definitely be the unfortunate imperial princess.”

Min Hyo-chan immediately objected.

“Why does a imperial princess suddenly come up here! Obviously, the girl who’s the childhood friend should be the female protagonist!”

Gu Yu-na added her opinion coldly.

“From the genre perspective, the hero and princess cliché does fit, but if we’re talking trends, nomance is the right choice. If you look at mega-hit web novels, it’s usually because the protagonist doesn’t date….”

Moon In-seop countered.

“But this is a light novel.”

“That’s true.”

Min Hyo-chan declared with his eyes tightly shut.

“Ah! Forget it! I can never give up on the elf childhood friend!”

Kim Byul added,

“Even if we set aside Hyo-chan’s creepy desires, from what I see, there has to be romance, right? Look at recent dramas. There’s none without romance. Even if there’s no romance, investors clamor to add it.”

Gu Yu-na added.

“It’s not about removing romance, but just that the trend in web novels is like that.”

Moon In-seop brought the conversation back to the main issue.

“So, who’s going to be the female lead?”

“I say the Imperial princess.”

“I choose the princess.”

(Note: From what I have read and can infer, the terms “princess” and “Imperial princess” refer to different individuals—the “princess” is the elf princess, who is also the protagonist’s childhood friend, while the “Imperial princess” must be the king’s daughter. This distinction should become clearer in future chapters, so I am leaving this note here for now.)

As Kim Byul and Gu Yu-na’s preferences diverged, Min Hyo-chan became frustrated.

“Ah, seriously, you guys know nothing. We shouldn’t reveal that now! The readers should be kept guessing between the two until the end!”

“Hey! Do you know how shitty it feels when the main and supporting roles get switched up?”

“We’re not talking about actual dramas here, sunbae….”

“Cough! I got carried away because a bad memory came to mind. Sorry.”

Amidst the chaotic tumult, Moon In-seop felt his mind going blank.

“Ah….”

What on earth are we doing?

Why are we doing this?

The origin of all events goes back to about a month ago.

EP 3-Magic Sword~nim, please control me!

It was the change of seasons.

The time when summer ends and autumn begins.

I was busy preparing to move.

I had finally found a monthly rental room near the school.

All I owned were numerous drafts written on manuscript paper, which Teacher Bang Jeong-ah had taken care of, and the latest model laptop that Lim Yang-wook had gifted me, so everything I had fit into one box.

Thus, there was no need to call a moving service; simply getting into the Grand Carnival, borrowed from Baekhak Entertainment by Lim Yang-wook, virtually completed my move.

The orphans from the orphanage also crowded around to send me off warmly.

“Are you leaving New Light Spring Orphanage?!”

“Moon In-seop is an individualist!”

“In-seop hyung… I… am cold… Don’t leave me…”

“Being abandoned by someone again? Ugh, my head…”

While Director Moon Chung-jae and Teacher Bang Jeong-ah struggled to calm the children, my roommates and the other orphans didn’t stop their pranks until the very end.

It wasn’t because they were immature. What they were doing wasn’t just joking around but something that should be called satire.

According to tradition, Bohemians never forgot their sense of humor, even in the hardest times, as depicted in the novels of Bohumil Hrabal.

They melt life’s pain, wounds, and sorrows into humor and shake them off. So, this wasn’t self-deprecation. It was their own way of enduring life.

However, Ma Ki-hoon, the representative of the orphanage kids, seemed to be somewhat serious.

Ma Ki-hoon came over to me and patted my shoulder.

“I didn’t expect you to leave the orphanage before me.”

“I’m not leaving for good, just found a place near the school. I’ll come back to the orphanage during the holidays.”

“I’ll never forget you.”

“I’m not leaving for good, you know?”

“Take care, our twisted hero…”

“This is crazy.”

Once Ma Ki-hoon started joking around, the kids began to frolic like unleashed colts.

“Oh my- What will we do if you leave like this…!”

“I never thought In-seop would leave like this…”

“I can still see In-seop right in front of me…”

“It feels like In-seop is still standing right there, doesn’t it?”

* * *

“I don’t know if I should say this, but… the atmosphere at the orphanage seemed more harmonious than I thought?”

That was Kim Byul’s impression after hearing my story.

I responded with a bitter smile.

“It’s probably brighter than you think, Sunbae. And also probably darker than you think.”

“Is that so…”

After hearing my words, Kim Byul fell into thought for a moment.

Then, she flopped down sideways on the club room sofa.

Naturally, Gu Yu-na’s lap became Kim Byul’s pillow.

Gu Yu-na tapped Kim Byul’s head lightly.

“Get off.”

“No.”

“You’re heavy.”

“Don’t wanna.”

Despite it being lunchtime, the club room was bustling. Since everyone had few friends, they spent their time here. That was the routine these days.

Ignoring Gu Yu-na’s soft punches, Kim Byul, munching on snacks, asked me.

“Did you find a studio near the school? In an officetel?”

“Yes. Just one traffic light away from the school.”

“The land near our school is incredibly expensive…”

“I shot a CF. For children’s desks and chairs. The editor in charge really liked it.”

“Really? When will the ad be out?”

“I have no idea.”

Kim Byul made a peculiar snorting sound and glanced at me slyly.

“Hmm… There are a lot of weirdos in the advertising field, didn’t you have any problems?”

“There were. They didn’t care about anything just to cut down the advertising fees.”

“Tell me more about it.”

“Even though it’s a big corporation, in the end, it’s the department people who execute the budget, so they tried to cut down the advertising fees a lot. Instead of negotiating with the company, they insisted on having a dinner to ‘build camaraderie’. At first, they acted all friendly, but then suddenly turned serious. Like they were giving a pressure interview to a kid, asking, ‘Do you really think you deserve all this money?’ When I flipped the table on them, they ended up changing the person in charge.”

Kim Byul laughed uproariously, clutching her stomach.

“Ah- What? That’s nothing. Do you know how many weirdos there are in this field? After a CF shoot, the client seriously tried to hit on me, saying he’s not a weird person.”

“Seriously…”

“So, when I told him I was a middle school student, he freaked out and ran away. Do I look that old…?”

‘Master of Gu Yu-na Psychology’ would not fall for such a simple trap question.

“If it was a CF, you probably had heavy makeup on, so you looked like you were in your early 20s. Personally, I don’t like it when too young celebrities are made up to look like adults…”

“Hmm… Is that so…”

However, Gu Yu-na, who had been displeased with Kim Byul’s head on her lap the entire time, stirred up trouble.

“It’s true that unnie doesn’t quite look like a middle school student.”

“…!”

An involuntary jolt from the direct hit!

Kim Byul looked up at the interpreter with a bright smile.

I tried to package Gu Yu-na’s statement.

“…It’s not about appearance, but because Kim Sunbae started social life from such a young age, the way she talks and her attitude, it’s not like a middle school student but more like a dependable senior. Maybe that’s what she meant?”

“Bullshit.”

Kim Byul’s retaliation struck Gu Yu-na!

Gu Yu-na quickly slipped out of Kim Byul’s grasp and started running away in short steps.

A chase ensued out of nowhere in the cramped club room.

“Hey! Catch her!”

“Me? Are you asking me?”

The pink-haired senior named Min something, quietly playing a mobile game in the corner, got caught up in the chase.

I took advantage of being out of their focus and started writing the novel I’ve been working on recently.

If I tried writing in the first-year classroom of the Department of Creative Writing, I would be bombarded with countless requests for critique.

However, just as I was about to start working,

An unexpected phone call broke my concentration.

It was Lim Yang-wook.

“Yes, Chief Lim.”

Lim Yang-wook’s dejected voice came through the phone.

-In-seop…

“What’s up?”

-We’re screwed…

* * *

Just as when there’s trouble in world history, you can roughly guess it involves the UK, when a problem arises with Lim Yang-wook, guessing it involves Baekhak Publishing is usually correct.

This time too, the root of all evil was, of course, Baekhak Publishing.

Baekhak Publishing suddenly sent this notification to Baekhak Entertainment.

The content of the message can be summarized as follows:

“Hello, this is Baekhak Publishing. First, we wish your company endless prosperity.

From now on, we will not print books by Author Moon.

So, what can you do about it?

Haha.

Thank you. We wish your company endless prosperity.”

Naturally, it was the handiwork of Director Kim Sang-guk from the Publishing Division.

Of course, Baekhak Publishing doesn’t overshadow Baekhak Entertainment in market capitalization.

But is the gaming industry more politically influential than the publishing industry just because it has more money?

No.

Money and power are separate resources.

And Baekhak Publishing had a lot of invisible assets.

Despite the decline of the literary world, heavyweight novelists have a history. They played influential roles during critical periods in Korean political history. Naturally, connections from those times still remain, and novelists from that era are still alive and spread across various sectors.

And Director Kim Sang-guk was on brotherly terms with them.

But that’s not all.

The trends and neologisms quoted in the media every year, the planning publications made in collaboration between trend analysts and Baekhak Publishing’s planning team.

The enormous number of workbooks sold each year, the numerous newspapers published by Baekhak Daily, etc., are all produced by Baekhak Publishing.

Publishing is a complex business that spans various fields, and the emperor of the publishing industry, who has dominated for decades, has an invisible authority.

Adding to this the political position Baekhak Publishing holds within the Baekhak Group, the power of Baekhak Publishing becomes so significant that it’s difficult to measure lightly.

That’s why Yang Sung-jun, merely a director, could use the media to attack Lim Yang-wook.

Eventually, though he wielded his power recklessly and fell from grace.

However, Director Kim Sang-guk was different.

Tricks are for the weak.

The strong fight fair and square.

Because the rules are made by the strong.

-“Author Moon’s novels are published by Baekhak Publishing, but Baekhak Entertainment’s Publishing Management Department intervenes in the distribution process, resulting in sales revenue flowing to Baekhak Entertainment. Why should Baekhak Publishing volunteer for Baekhak Entertainment for free? Baekhak Entertainment should immediately stop infringing on the territories of its affiliates.”

Upon hearing this message, CEO Baek Seung-won of Baekhak Entertainment immediately sensed he was in a catch-22.

The rationale was too clear.

Of course, considering the full context, Baekhak Entertainment had a lot to say, but from then on, it became a matter of politics rather than business.

And in politics, Baekhak Entertainment couldn’t beat Baekhak Publishing. There were many direct descendants in the group’s top management who wanted to oust CEO Baek Seung-won, a collateral relative, and take his place.

Director Kim Sang-guk had thrown his dagger knowing all these circumstances.

Eventually, CEO Baek Seung-won informed Lim Yang-wook as follows:

-Hey. I can’t cover for you this time.

Lim Yang-wook felt as if the sky was falling.

Of course, there’s a simple solution to all problems.

Just hand over the rights to distribute Author Moon’s books to Baekhak Publishing.

Then it’s all over.

The Publishing Management Department just needs to negotiate with publishers on behalf of Author Moon, get him on broadcasts, manage his condition, and essentially ‘manage’ Author Moon.

Baekhak Publishing will receive Author Moon’s books and pour in an enormous amount of promotion, so Author Moon’s immediate royalty income will increase.

However, Lim Yang-wook’s personal network of bookstore owners across various locations will be completely cut off. The trade relationship is broken, and the credit is gone, naturally.

Now, without Baekhak Publishing, the Publishing Management Department cannot publish books.

In other words, they lose business control.

Becoming a dog of Baekhak Publishing.

The problem doesn’t end there.

Baekhak Entertainment has been using its resources to adapt Author Moon’s books into movies and promoting Author Moon in the media because the money that should have gone to Baekhak Publishing was being consumed by Baekhak Entertainment.

But if the business profits were to go to Baekhak Publishing instead of Baekhak Entertainment, there would be no reason for Baekhak Entertainment to maintain a hybrid department like the Publishing Management Department.

Wouldn’t it be better to invest that money in nurturing idols?

What follows is obvious.

The Publishing Management Department, having become redundant, naturally faces disbandment.

And the floating Author Moon naturally falls into the arms of Baekhak Publishing…

“Kim Sang-guk, that damned old man…!”

In essence, Baekhak Publishing was orchestrating this scheme to completely dismantle the Publishing Management Department and snatch Author Moon into Baekhak Publishing’s fold.

Realizing this, Lim Yang-wook felt as if he was plunged into darkness.

Lim Yang-wook washed his face roughly in the bathroom and clenched his eyes shut.

Then, he looked in the mirror. Bloodshot eyes stared back at him.

“Damn it.”

He couldn’t give up here.

The initial downfall of the Publishing Management TF was also due to the covert schemes of Director Kim Sang-guk and Director Yang Sung-jun. He couldn’t be beaten by the same guy twice!

If it had come to this, he was ready to go all the way.

Even if it meant making a deal with the devil.

“Hello?”

-What the hell, why are you calling?

“Director Yang Sung-jun? Let’s meet for a moment.”

* * *

“Hmm… What to do…”

The second battle between Baekhak Publishing vs. Lim Yang-wook had begun. It seemed publishing would be difficult for a while. Then, the novel I’m currently writing…

As I sank into a gloomy state of complicated feelings, Kim Byul, who had failed to catch Gu Yu-na and was now disheveled, approached me, fixing her messy hair.

“What’s with that deathly look?”

“Baekhak Publishing is causing trouble, so I can’t publish any new books for a while.”

“What? What do you mean?”

As I shared my worries with the members of the Popular Culture and Arts Study Club, they all showed concern for my situation.

Kim Byul shook her head.

“That field is seriously tough too…”

“Anything involving money is like that, I guess.”

“Is art truly inseparable from money…”

Gu Yu-na offered a solution.

“Should I talk to my dad?”

“Your dad’s a nuclear bomb. If we use him, we both die. Just stay put.”

“Okay…”

It seemed neither Kim Byul nor Gu Yu-na had any sharp suggestions. Sᴇaʀᴄh the N0vᴇlFire(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Then, someone whispered in my ear from behind.

“Why not just post it online?”

“Jesus, you scared me!”

I turned around in surprise.

The pink-haired Min something senior was there.

“How long have you been here?!”

“I’ve been in the club room from the start.”

“Make some noise when you move, Min… What was it? Senior.”

“Min Hyo-chan.”

The pink-haired senior said.

“Anyway, if you can’t publish a physical book, why not write a web novel?”

“Eh, obviously…”

Obviously…

Obviously…

“…?”

Why not?

“Let’s just give it a shot!”

Moon In-seop, a fresh attempt at web novels!

****

Join our Discord to receive chapter announcements or to report mistakes: .gg/GGKyZWDuZM

Sᴇarch the NʘvᴇlFirᴇ.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.