Surviving as a Plagiarist in Another World - Chapter 37: Side: "So, why did Holmes die?"

< Chapter 37: Side: “So, why did Holmes die?” >

If moving a person’s heart was a miracle,

Then literature was the most powerful miracle of all.

“…Oh, come to think of it, it’s about time for ‘that’ episode of Sherlock Holmes to be serialized.”

“If you mean that episode… ah.”

Sion sighed, as if he had an inkling.

“The Empire will get noisy.”

“The President of Half and Half will have a hard time….”

Literature had the power to move people’s hearts.

And ‘Sherlock Holmes’ was one of the most powerful pieces of literature. To respect the original author from my previous life, I had decided to play a little prank on the ‘Sherlock Holmes’ being serialized in this world.

“Isn’t it better to reveal in advance that ‘he’s not actually dead’?”

“That would be no fun.”

“…Sometimes it’s hard to understand what you’re thinking, Lord.”

“Honestly, I don’t understand what I was thinking when I wrote it either.”

It was hard to understand the psychology of an author who, after writing such an entertaining work, abruptly concluded it because he wasn’t satisfied with it himself.

But that also demonstrated the power of literature to ‘move people’s hearts.’

Conan Doyle had faced a lot of trouble for killing Sherlock Holmes. Even the Prince of Wales, who later became Edward VII, sent a threat opposing Holmes’s death.

Conan Doyle had even said,

[“I wouldn’t have been criticized this much if I had actually killed a person.”]

That was how much trouble Conan Doyle had gone through for killing Sherlock Holmes.

Therefore, as a thief who plagiarized his work, I felt an obligation to respectfully gift people the same episode.

“But don’t you think it will be fun?”

“Are you saying, Lord, that the fun lies in plunging the Empire into chaos?”

“Well, that could be fun in its own way….”

“…….”

I couldn’t deny that it was amusing to see people overindulge in literature.

Of course, I wished they would treat the novel as just a novel….

Seeing people genuinely immerse themselves in literature and share that experience was a scene I couldn’t witness in the 21st century of my previous life.

“Isn’t it kind of cute to see people get so caught up in literature?”

“Cute…?”

If it was a ‘miracle’ that could only be enjoyed in this world, then it should be enjoyed to the fullest.

From the perspective of someone who had dedicated their life to literature and even died from overwork because of it, it would be unfair if people didn’t get fully immersed.

Literature was everything to me.

So, it was a somewhat childish notion that he wished literature would be everything in their lives too.

“Sion, don’t try to understand it, just feel it. With your heart. Isn’t it good when people become deeply engrossed in literature?”

“Indeed. It would also bring us one step closer to your goal, my lord.”

“Right?”

And he had prepared an interesting event for those who longed for Holmes’ revival. It would truly be entertaining.

* * *

Holmes died.

Everyone in the empire was in shock.

“What, is this the end? No, right? There must be another episode… Thank you for loving Holmes until now?”

“Can it end so abruptly? Surely, there must be some trick! How many times have we been fooled by Holmes?”

The American psychiatrist Kübler-Ross categorized the acceptance of death into five stages. The reactions of readers accepting Holmes’ death were no different.

“Holmes… is dead…?”

The first stage. Denial.

“Haha, how many times have we been fooled while reading Sherlock Holmes? This time too, he’s probably just teasing the readers to surprise us!”

“Right? Holmes couldn’t have died so meaninglessly! Haha!”

The second stage. Anger.

“No, does it make sense to end the story so suddenly? Does this make any sense?”

“To kill Holmes! Damn it, now what will I look forward to every week?”

The third stage. Bargaining.

“Well, come to think of it, doesn’t Herodotus run a foundation? If the readers gather money and sponsor a donation, won’t Herodotus bring Holmes back to life?”

“That’s a good idea! But how are we going to collect the money?”

The fourth stage. Depression.

“Thinking about spending the week without Holmes makes me lose my appetite….”

“A world without Holmes is not worth living in…!”

And although it should have led to the fifth stage, acceptance—

It wasn’t the readers who were dying, but Holmes. The readers had no intention of accepting such a sudden death.

“In that case, let’s storm Half and Half!”

“Right! Let’s storm Half and Half, capture Herodotus, and lock him in a basement to make him write all day!”

Thus, the people kept cycling through the ‘anger’ stage, boiling with rage.

But fortunately, the angry readers did not turn into mobs and attack Herodotus. This was because Herodotus, who had anticipated all this, had strengthened the security of ‘Half and Half.’

“Um, writer! Is this really okay?”

“Hang in there just a little longer. Instead, I’ll definitely contract my next work with Half and Half.”

“…Yes! Even if I get kidnapped by mobs, I will keep the ‘secret’!”

“If you get kidnapped, it’s okay to release the manuscript early….”

* * *

“Brother.”

“Oh, brother.”

“Why did you kill Holmes?”

* * *

“Writer?”

“…Yes, Lady.”

“Why did you kill Holmes?”

* * *

“Son.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Why did you kill Holmes?”

* * *

“Writer! The response to this ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is also very positive!”

“Yes, President.”

“But why did you kill Holmes?”

* * *

“Mother, did you come to ask why I killed Holmes, too?”

“No, I came to share some snacks I received from the merchant guild.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“So, why did you kill Holmes?”

* * *

Everyone who knew my true identity asked me, ‘Why did you kill Holmes?’

Was this how Conan Doyle felt?

“This is a bit amusing….”

“People are mourning Holmes’ death by wearing black armbands on their left arms.”

“Is no one carrying a coffin and holding a funeral?”

“It seems there are plans. Some people are gathering funds.”

“It’s a good thing I’m not publishing under my real name.”

It was truly fortunate.

I didn’t want to suffer threats and terror like Conan Doyle.

“Well, this will all calm down by tomorrow.”

Imagine there was someone who held all the copyrights and trademarks for Sherlock Holmes and Arsène Lupin.

Moreover, this person could ‘alter’ parts of the stories of Sherlock Holmes and Arsène Lupin.

No one knew the original stories, and only this person knew the originals. In that case, wouldn’t it be natural for that person to try such a ‘prank’?

* * *

As soon as dawn broke, Arthur Taylor hurried to the bookstore.

Today was the release day for ‘Half and Half.’ Fortunately, he managed to get a copy before they were all sold out.

He quickly flipped through the pages to check if ‘Sherlock Holmes’ was included.

“Sigh, as expected, there’s no ‘Sherlock Holmes.’ I’ll have to be content with just Arsène Lupin today.”

The serialization of his favorite work had ended.

As a reader, it was a disappointing event, but fortunately, there was ‘Arsène Lupin’ as a substitute to soothe his mind.

Thinking so, he began to read Arsène Lupin.

“…Oh. Oh, oh, oh?! Ha, haha! I knew it!”

Soon, he started laughing and shouting like a madman.

And for good reason.

“I knew Sherlock Holmes couldn’t have died so meaninglessly!”

The supposedly dead Sherlock Holmes suddenly appeared in the ‘Arsène Lupin’ series.

Sherlock Holmes, who was falling from the waterfall, noticed something large and pigeon-like grabbing hold of him. It was a person flying around, wearing triangular wings made of white cloth and bamboo like clothing.

The person introduced himself.

[“Are you curious why I am helping you? It’s simple. Because I am Lupin. The gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin.”]

He called himself the gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin.

Of course, the white hang glider was plagiarized from a detective comic in his previous life, but—naturally, there was no one who could point that out.

Thus, Sherlock Holmes made a grand return.

On the next page, there was a notice with the following content:

[‘Sherlock Holmes X Arsène Lupin’ Fan Fiction Contest.]

[We are looking for writers to create stories about the world where both characters exist.]

Following Homer’s ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ Fan Fiction Contest.

It was the opening of Herodotus’ ‘Sherlock Holmes X Arsène Lupin’ Fan Fiction Contest.

* * *

“You did something interesting, didn’t you?”

“Haha….”

“By reviving Sherlock Holmes in such a grand way… it makes me seem impatient for reproaching you about why you killed Sherlock, doesn’t it? Jeez, that was mean. Really.”

“I’m sorry, Lady.”

“I’ll forgive you just this once.”

“Thank you.”

Now, even when meeting Lady Es, he no longer felt as nervous as before.

It seemed they had become closer. Probably.

“Receiving beatification from the church, raising disciples, you must be really enjoying life?”

“Yes. I am spending my time joyfully.”

“But isn’t it a bit unfair?”

“Yes?”

“I mean—I was the one who won the grand prize in the first contest, right? But the students invited to the Literature Academy are other students. That’s unfair!”

“…Well, Lady Es, it must be difficult for you to find time—.”

“I have plenty of time now.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ve finished the handover. From now on, Idris will handle all the royal duties.”

“‥‥‥.”

“So—please take care of me from now on, Teacher.”