How a Hero Lives as a Writer

65 – In Search of Lost Pride (2)

I decided to retrieve a cotton candy machine and take it home.

“This is a wise decision.”

Sir Lewis covered his mouth and gave a small laugh.

I think it reminded me of the scene where members of the tribal union stood in line twice to receive cotton candy.

Wasn’t there something cute?

ㅡ Please don’t say that you witnessed the scene.

I don’t joke around unless I’m close to someone.

In a meeting like this, invisible goodwill is the most important thing, but I’m not so stupid as to forget it myself.

I’m going to have to do something that will increase my favorability rating.

ㅡ What are you going to do?

I’m thinking of doing art with cotton candy.

ㅡ Do you know how to do that?

It’s not that difficult.

Make a cocoon by adding sugar of one color.

Then put sugar of a different color and overlay it on the cocoon.

And it’s done when you shape it with chopsticks dipped in water.

Even people without special skills can do it easily.

ㅡ But you want to do it yourself?

Wouldn’t it be more impressive if you did it yourself?

This is all about life.

Okay, now we have to do a decent performance.

I sat down as usual and pretended to write a novel, feeling as if I knew nothing as much as possible.

Come on, wabarat!

About 10 minutes passed like that, and for some reason, a refreshing feeling began to permeate the room.

This is Bertus’ barrier technique.

The friends who lined up twice to eat cotton candy are here!

“Kuhm.”

I cleared my throat, cleared my throat, looked in the mirror to fix my face and hairstyle, and finally checked the smell of my breath.

Smart.

When everything was over, there was a knock on the door.

“Yes, who are you?”

ㅡ Lord. Im here.

“Okay, I’m leaving!”

I opened the door after making a hurried sound in a slightly flustered voice.

Then I looked left and right with a slightly uneasy feeling.

“It’s okay. Because they are all good friends.”

“Well, let’s go to the drawing room first.”

ㅡ Has the smoke increased?

No, it’s because I’m really nervous….

I started walking towards the drawing room first, and Bertus and his party started following me.

The pressure of the tight field is breathtaking!

ㅡ Don’t worry. Bertus will be on your side.

Is that right?

ㅡ Even if everyone here in Ochlia rushes at it, Bertus won’t be able to win.

Is that including the man who looks over 2m over there?

ㅡ Yes.

Oh wow, you walked with too much strain on your shoulders.

I was talking about tribal unions, but it didn’t have to come out like this if it was cut from Bertus line!

ㅡ You are really….

I went into the drawing room and invited the people from the Tribal Federation to have a seat.

Then several people came forward and sat on the couch.

Perhaps the people sitting on the sofa are the representatives of each race.

… But how long are you planning to stay dressed up as a human?

“Oh, I forgot.”

When Bertus said that and waved his hand, their true selves that had been hidden by magic were revealed.

Beasts, Demons, Dwarves, Elves.

It is a heterogeneous species known to have the largest population in Mare.

“Welcome to Aucklea. My name is Bright Oaklien Springfield, the 7th Champion. Feel free to call me Bright.”

When I slightly bowed my head and said hello, the Tribal Alliance reacted as if they were paying attention to something.

They seemed to be contemplating who would receive my greeting.

“I am Bertus, one of the elders of the elves and the guardian.”

When Bertus finished greeting her, a man who appeared to be a beastman over 2m tall clicked her tongue and scratched the back of her head.

“I am Aslan, the chief of Escar, the people of the steppe.”

Aside from Bertus, Aslan felt like he had the highest social status.

After Aslan opened his mouth, the overall atmosphere felt lighter.

“My name is Taz from the Kingdom of Orgone.”

The person named Taz is probably a demon.

Except for the horns on his head and the wings on his back, his overall impression is closer to that of a human.

The way he spoke was polite and dignified, so I thought he might be a nobleman.

“I am Cruson.”

I never thought I could talk shorter than Aslan, the chieftain of the beast tribe….

Still, the harsh-mouthed dwarf called Gospel felt like this, so I think it’s right to see it as just a personality.

“I heard the story from Bertus. Do you have mystical powers?”

“Yes. It is the ability to peruse the cradle of the stars, which contains all the records of this world.”

After I said that, the people gathered in the drawing room started to mutter.

As expected, even after hearing the explanation from Bertus, it seems that he was dubious.

“Can you show us the proof?”

“Yes. But before that….”

I removed the cloth from the cotton candy machine that had been put away in the corner of the drawing room.

“That?”

“This is a tool for making sweets called ‘fairy threads’ that can only be tasted in Aucklia.”

The Fairy’s Thread is a luxury dessert that was supposed to be sold only to nobles, but now it’s a festival, so it’s being given out to commoners for free.

I want to make and serve these sweets to all of my customers.

I said that and put wood into the rocket stove.

Then, the tribal unions started to show a little awkward atmosphere.

That’s right.

I even cheated to eat cotton candy!

“Keuheum, thank you.”

Have you eaten twice and still not enough?

ㅡ Wasn’t the size a bit small?

I had money to buy sugar, but it was winter, so it was difficult to secure supplies.

So I needed to reduce the size of the cotton candy a bit.

I never thought it would work in such a good way.

“This machine was built with the help of Dwarf artisans Kruger, Might, and Gospel.”

If I say it like this, it will build up a little more goodwill, right?

ㅡ That’s desperate.

Won’t you just be desperate?

Because I can draw boys’ manga in earnest only with their help.

“Okay, let’s get started.”

Pour the sugar in the center, and soon a pink thread began to form.

“Is that sugar too?”

“Yes. It is a snack made by melting sugar.”

After the pink thread breaks, a light green thread is made to wrap the cotton candy.

ㅡ It’s just a mixture of two different colors, isn’t it pretty?

From now on, it’s real.

I used a wooden skewer moistened with water to press the outer part of the cotton candy into shape.

As I started to press down like that, a pretty flower shape came into being.

I finally wrapped the borders of the flowers using uncolored sugar.

“You must have felt it when you came. Oaklea is a very barren place for people to live. So, the people here are very attached to the season called spring. There is even an idiom called Aucklea’s Spring.”

I got up from my seat and handed out a flower-shaped cotton candy to a man named Aslan who blinked.

“It seems that spring has come to Oaklia because of all of you visiting here. Because the flowers are in full bloom like this.”

Great… It is a passing grade for something that was arranged on the spot.

ㅡ Do you have a source?

In a movie I watched before, I saw the comment, ‘It’s not because flowers bloom, it’s spring because you came’.

I tried using it.

Is it plausible?

ㅡ Even if you fail as a writer, you seem to be able to make a living as a con artist.

What is a cheater?

I’d rather be a poet.

ㅡ again and again.

It’s a joke, a joke.

“Ah, the number of flowers is a bit small for spring. Please wait a moment.”

After that, I worked hard to make flower-shaped cotton candy.

Then I handed out flowers to everyone in the drawing room.

“It really feels like spring has come.”

When I said that and smiled brightly, the drawing room became warm as if it was spring.

As expected, bribery and flattery work regardless of race!

“… I think I received a gift that was too good to eat.”

A demonic man named Taz looked down at her cotton candy with an expression that he couldn’t eat.

Don’t do that, my friend.

You have to eat that.

Since cotton candy is weak against moisture, it will shrink on its own later.

“Plants that have survived the winter bloom when spring arrives. And when the flower fades, it bears fruit.”

I looked at her man, Taz, and raised the corner of her mouth slightly.

“I hope that a ‘fruit’ in the name of friendship that transcends races can be borne between you and me.”

Is this enough?

“Delicious.”

Aslan said, as soon as my story was over, she tore off a large piece of her cotton candy with one hand that was no bigger than the lid of the pot and pushed it into my mouth.

It was a rough but considerate action.

You’re a good person….

Once Aslan ate the cotton candy, others started eating it as well.

It was quite impressive to see everyone say ‘delicious’ as if they were hypnotized.

The atmosphere was ripe with the cotton candy tasting event.

Now I feel like this meeting is completely at my own pace.

In that case, we need to put a wedge in.

Thank you again, Ms. Helena!

ㅡ Grain~

Remembering the Cradle of the Stars, I released the power of the holy sword.

Flash!

A familiar golden light covered the drawing room, and we arrived at the Cradle of Stars before we knew it.

The members of the Tribal Alliance looked a little taken aback, but no one touched the objects around them, as if they had been warned by Bertus in advance.

I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Miss Helena appeared from a distance.

“There are quite a few children visiting today.”

As expected, Helena-sama, who sets the mood properly, is different.

It’s a presence that makes me want to bow my head without even realizing it.

Perhaps I wasn’t the only one who felt that way, and Aslan’s forehead was also in a state of faint perspiration.

Aslan got down on one knee and bowed her head.

Then the others followed Aslan on one knee and bowed their heads.

“Agent of God. What are you here for today?”

“I want to restore their pride that has been forgotten by the passage of time.”

Can you say I’ve driven a wedge with this?

Now, friends, please work hard for shonen comics!