✦ Chapter 37 – Hero of the Sword (Candidate), Maya ✦
「Translator – Creator」
𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝
Honestly, I’d expected Xiang Yu’s popularity to plummet after the second part of <Farewell My Concubine>.
No matter the excuses, the fact remained that Xiang Yu had repeatedly failed and squandered his grand ambitions. I expected that, as a result, the winner, Liu Bang, would gain popularity while Xiang Yu would be regarded as outdated and irrelevant.
…Surprisingly, my prediction was only half right.
‘Liu Bang’s popularity did indeed rise.’
Facing the monstrous Xiang Yu without giving up, his perseverance, adept management skills, and his relatively benevolent nature made Liu Bang an attractive character. His competent military strategies helped too. As the ultimate victor, Liu Bang naturally garnered admiration.
However, Xiang Yu’s popularity didn’t decline.
On the contrary, the franchise as a whole had its popularity skyrocket.
“Take this! Sword Control Technique! Taste the might of Tai’a and Gongbu!”
“General Fan Kuai! Form the Arhat Formation! Don’t let Xiang Yu escape!”
“Wait, what? Does that mean we’re the Qin Dynasty?”
“Hey! I don’t want to be the Star Absorbing General! You be Zhang Han!”
Children imitating the martial arts from <Farewell My Concubine> could be seen everywhere on the streets; they’d divide themselves into factions, mimicking the forces from the Chu-Han Contention, waving sticks around enthusiastically.
While during the first part, all the children had idolized Xiang Yu, now they were choosing their sides based on their preferences.
Meanwhile, the same tunes could be heard echoing through the alleyways.
Various theme songs from the wuxia plays resonated throughout the capital, regardless of location.
While children re-enacted the battles, adults hummed the melodies from the plays, adding to the lively atmosphere.
“His spirit challenges the raging waves, his burning blood hotter than the crimson sun~♬”
“Winning and losing is fate, that only heaven can decide. ~♫”
A Man Should Strengthen Himself, evocative of Xiang Yu’s heroic feats, had become a work song chanted in workplaces.
A Sound of Laughter Over the Vast Sea, reminiscent of Xiang Yu’s tragic end, had transformed into a ballad hummed over drinks after work.
The Dawn Will Never Come , sung by Consort Yu, had been reborn as a wedding song, a blessing for a match made in heaven.
But the cultural impact of <Farewell My Concubine> didn’t end there.
“Checkmate!”
“Ugh, no! To think I’d lose to Liu Bang in a game!”
While chess had been played occasionally in this world, it never gained much traction. But a new version of the game, licensed and themed after <Farewell My Concubine>, emerged as a new sensation.
‘A Chu-Han Contention version of chess is basically Chinese chess, isn’t it?’
That was my thought when I first received the offer to develop a new board game based on <Farewell My Concubine>. I was skeptical about its success.
…However, the final product exceeded my expectations in a very intriguing, creative manner.
“I summon Han Xin, the unparalleled general, with my commander card! Now the Han army’s attack points have increased by 500!”
“Hahaha, you fool! Then I summon Fan Zeng with my strategist card and Zhongli Mo with my general card, and I end my turn! This increases the Chu army’s defense points by 300!”
“Idiots! No matter who you summon, you can’t defeat this ultimate card! Appear, Qin Shi Huang! Use the Star Absorbing Technique to drain your enemies’ life points in your quest for immortality!”
The rules incorporated a card battle system, utilizing the diverse cast of heroes from the play; they had created special cards featuring Zhang Liang, Fan Kuai, Long Ju, Xiang Liang, Qin Shi Huang, and others, all influencing the game’s strategy.
And as a result, the <Farewell My Concubine> board game became a bizarre hybrid of Yu-Gi-Oh! and chess, a creation that would make any modern person exclaim, “What kind of unholy abomination is this?!”
‘But then again, surprisingly, it’s incredibly popular.’
Compared to chess, which was played by some nobility, the <Farewell My Concubine> board game had a more popular appeal; the gameplay was surprisingly intuitive, the strategic elements were easy to grasp, and the cards added an extra layer of fun and excitement.
It had become common sense to have a <Farewell My Concubine> board game in taverns, clubs, and even most households.
“How dare you insult me! A duel! Draw your cards!”
“Alright! Let’s play!”
“Sir, you’re suffering from a severe case of <Farewell My Concubine> game addiction.”
“Hmph, ridiculous. Prove it with a duel, doctor.”
“Nurse? Bring me the game board.”
The board game had essentially become a new folk game, like StarCraft back in my world.
Leisure, gambling, even settling disputes—everything revolved around <Farewell My Concubine>.
Society had become a nation of addicts.
But honestly, this was nothing.
The real situation that truly disconcerted me was something entirely different.
✧❅✦❅✧
“You must be the illustrious playwright Phantom, whose reputation precedes him. It is truly an honor to meet you.”
“Ah, yes. The honor is all mine. And your name is…?”
“I am Mir, the head of the emissary delegation sent by the Sovereign of the World Tree to facilitate trade with the West.”
With a bow in the elvish fashion followed by a human handshake, the silk-clad elf noble introduced himself courteously.
He then turned and addressed Professor Gaby, who stood beside me, with a warm smile.
“To think that the one who embarked on a journey to foster harmony between our races would orchestrate such a magnificent cultural exchange. I am truly impressed, Lady Gaby. The Sovereign will be proud.”
“You flatter me, Lord Mir. I merely provided consultation. <Farewell My Concubine> is entirely the work of the great writer Phantom here.”
We were at none other than the Clausewitz Imperial Palace.
The limited-run performance of <Farewell My Concubine> had taken the capital by storm.
The elven emissaries, intrigued by the play, had requested a meeting with me, Phantom.
“Lord Mir, for what exact purpose did you wish to meet me? I’m just a humble playwright, after all.”
“A humble playwright? That’s an understatement, Master Phantom.”
Mir responded to my question with a knowing smile.
He then looked at me directly and made a proposition in a serious tone.
“Your work is regarded as exceptional, even from an elvish perspective—a masterpiece. In fact, it could be said that only elves might fully appreciate the underlying contexts woven throughout, recalling the culture and thought of the East so systematically that I briefly wondered if you might be a half-elf born there.”
“Ahaha…”
“Therefore, I would like to make you a formal offer.”
*Snap!*
With a snap of his fingers, Mir summoned elven attendants who had been waiting nearby.
An attendant carried over a heavy chest, unlocked it, and revealed its contents to me.
*Gasp!*
I froze, stunned by what I saw.
Gold and silver taels, ingots commonly depicted in wuxia novels and comics, gleamed inside the chest, each one shaped like a horseshoe.
Mir gestured toward the treasure and revealed his intentions.
“We would like to purchase the rights to the <Farewell My Concubine> script. We wish to take this story back to the World Tree and share it with our people.”
“Y-You want to…?”
“Rest assured, this offer is simply a gesture of goodwill.”
As I stammered out a reply, clearly taken aback, Mir interpreted my flustered demeanor as discomfort and again snapped his fingers with a smile.
Another attendant approached, this time carrying a white porcelain liquor bottle.
“This is a renowned liquor, brewed with 200-year-old ginseng. Its value is equivalent to several mansions. Its taste is as exquisite as a celestial elixir, and it is extremely effective in enhancing men’s vitality.”
… enhancing a man’s vitality?
“It means it’s good for… stamina, writer.”
“I-I know that.”
Professor Gaby whispered in my ear, then retreated with a playful smile.
Embarrassed, I cleared my throat and turned my attention back to Mir.
‘So, to put it simply, they want to purchase the remake rights?’
Making such a request wasn’t out of line. Even though this world’s copyright laws were rudimentary compared to modern Earth, the concept did exist. And it wasn’t uncommon for masterpieces to be adapted across borders.
Korean films like <Oldboy> and <The Man from Nowhere> had followed similar trajectories.
Yet, despite this, it was still hard to wrap my head around the emissary’s proposal.
“You’re willing to spend this much just to purchase the rights to a single script? Isn’t this a bit excessive?”
“What do you mean? You’re not just any playwright; you’re a formal Hero candidate, are you not?”
Mir responded with a surprised look, eyeing the orichalcum medallion pinned to my chest.
“Among elves, nothing is more detestable than failing to pay a master’s work its due worth. Should we undercut the value of a Hero candidate just to save a few coins? If we did such a thing, we wouldn’t be able to show our faces under the World Tree.”
“A master’s work…? I-I’m flattered, but are you certain you understand the story of <Farewell My Concubine>? The protagonist rebels against the sacred World Tree, um…”
The portrayal of Qin Shi Huang’s assassination as an arson of the World Tree was a considerate edit to lessen the shock for human audiences. From an elf’s perspective, it could be seen as a heinous blasphemy worthy of outrage.
Yet, they intended to take such a radical script back to the World Tree for performance?
“The world thrives when the righteous rule. ”
But Mir’s expression remained unchanged.
His tone grew even more resolute as he solidified his stance.
“It is the World Tree’s doctrine that if an unworthy individual seizes power, their arrogance and self-righteousness would lead all under heaven into misery. However, more and more elves are forgetting this principle, now only coveting sheer power. They do not realize the tragedies that such pride and arrogance can spawn.”
“………………”
“There are many plays in the elven lands, but we have never encountered a narrative that so masterfully warns against the obsession with power as <Farewell My Concubine>. Yes, the depictions of burying 200,000 people alive and setting the World Tree ablaze are shocking indeed. But sometimes, it is necessary to employ drastic storytelling methods to impart a crucial lesson, don’t you think?”
I wondered if elves were simply not as skilled in crafting narratives as the inhabitants of this world. According to Mir, there wasn’t a better narrative than <Farewell My Concubine> in their history.
And drastic methods were sometimes needed to drive home a lesson, huh?
Considering that elven philosophy mirrored Confucianism, it was not an unnatural reaction.
Contrary to modern misconceptions, Confucianism was both traditional and flexible in its thinking; they diligently compiled biographies of tyrants, chronicling their wrongdoings through the words of their subjects.
Mencius himself had openly advocated for the dethroning of tyrants, with the explicit theory that if a ruler is unjust, they must be resisted.
“And there’s no need to worry. As I mentioned earlier, we plan to incorporate sufficient adaptations.”
Mir laughed benevolently, ticking off his fingers as if counting.
“Liu Bang, Han Xin, Zhang Liang, Xiao He, Ying Bu—each character is compelling and distinctive. If you grant us the rights, we intend to transform <Farewell My Concubine> from being solely about Xiang Yu to an ensemble drama featuring all these heroes.”
… An Eastern-style ensemble drama focusing on Liu Bang, Han Xin, Zhang Liang, Xiao He, Ying Bu, and others?
Strange. Why did it feel so familiar?
“That’s an interesting idea. But wouldn’t the title ‘Farewell My Concubine’ be unsuitable if the focus shifts?”
“Of course. With the shift in focus, a new title would be necessary. We’re already considering a suitable alternative. Since the core of the story is the struggle between Chu and Han for hegemony…”
He cleared his throat, his expression suddenly brightening.
He then turned to me and asked, his demeanor brimming with excitement, “What do you think of Chu–Han Contention, or Chu–Han War for short, Master Phantom?”
“…………..”
“Hm? Is something the matter?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Good heavens. To think the original Chu–Han Contention would be revived in this world, and in this way.
✧❅✦❅✧
In the end, I agreed to sell the remake rights to the emissary delegation.
I couldn’t refuse their heartfelt plea to showcase the message of <Farewell My Concubine> — “One cannot rule the world with force alone” — in their homeland.
And so, I gradually revealed various tidbits of information about the characters, framing them as details omitted from the play.
For example, I mentioned Zhang Liang’s attempt to assassinate Qin Shi Huang with a heavy weight and the heroism of Jing Ke.
I also spoke about the tragic fates of Han Xin, Peng Yue, and Ying Bu, all executed after the unification of the Empire.
‘I wonder if elven audiences will condemn Liu Bang and Empress Lu for betraying their loyal generals, or blame Han Xin for his lack of political acumen.’
Whichever it was, the story now lay beyond my hands. It was up to the viewers to discern right from wrong; they could debate the justifications for purging one’s rivals as they saw fit.
“Thank you for your efforts, Phantom.”
As we exited the palace, Professor Gaby spoke warmly. When the guards opened the main gate, she gracefully stepped out.
“You’ve really worked hard all this time. I have somewhere I need to be, so I’ll be on my way.”
“You too have worked hard, Professor. Take care on your way back.”
“Oh, right!”
Just as she was about to turn away, Professor Gaby suddenly turned back to me, adding thoughtfully.
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep my promise. I’m not one to go back on my word.”
“Pardon?”
Promise?
“Sorry, but what promise are you referring to? Did we make a promise regarding something?”
“Hehe, well? What do you think?”
Instead of a clear explanation, Professor Gaby merely offered a cryptic smile.
Her violet eyes shimmered with a knowing gleam as she concluded, “Think carefully about what promises were made, writer. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
With that, she left without further explanation.
I stood there, bewildered, abandoned at the entrance of the palace.
“What was that about?”
What was with her cryptic remark? It just made things awkward.
Anyway, I had finished my business at the palace.
Anyway, with my business at the palace concluded, I decided to head back to the dormitory for a well-deserved nap. Just as I turned to leave, a burly man approached me.
“Excuse me. Are you the writer and Hero candidate, Phantom?”
“Huh? Yes, that’s me.”
“Greetings. My name is Bernhardt, and I am an aide to His Highness, Prince Wolfgang.”
I nodded, and the large man introduced himself and continued, “His Highness Prince Wolfgang wishes to see you. Would you spare a moment of your time?”
✧❅✦❅✧
Meanwhile, at the same time, in a secluded clearing where a large rock had been split into a cross.
*Crack Crunch*
*Bang, Crash–!!*
“Huff, huff…”
Breathing heavily, Maya collapsed to her knees, dropping to the ground after a frenzied bout of sword practice.
Ever since she watched the second half of <Farewell My Concubine>, Maya had visited this place daily, tirelessly swinging her sword.
An unidentifiable frustration burned inside her, driving her to train relentlessly with a near-madness.
Enveloping her sword in aura, she had relentlessly gouged the hard ground. Massive trees that would take countless axe swings to fell were cut down in a fit of rage.
However, no matter how much she honed her swordsmanship, the emotions that welled up in her chest wouldn’t disappear.
It felt like a sharp awl had lodged itself in her heart, causing a burning, prickling pain that tormented her constantly.
“…………..”
Unable to diagnose her own state, she bit her lip, clutching the hilt of the legendary sword, Eternal Snow, when—
“There you are, Maya.”
— a familiar, warm voice came from right beside her.
It was the voice of Gaby, her old master from whom she had parted ways due to differences in opinion.
Translator’s Notes :-
Dude is drowning in money at this rate!!
— End of Chapter —
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