I Became A Playwright In Medieval Fantasy-Chapter 37

On the streets, you could easily see children imitating the martial arts from Farewell to the Conqueror, dividing themselves into factions, reenacting the battles from the Chu-Han war while enthusiastically waving sticks around.

During the first part of the play, every child admired Xiang Yu, but now you could see them choosing their factions based on personal preference.

Meanwhile, in every alley, a familiar song echoed.

No matter where you were in the capital, you could hear the soundtracks from the martial arts films resonating loudly.

If the kids were pretending to be in battles, the adults were humming the melodies from the play, immersing themselves in it.

“The indomitable spirit fights against the fierce waves, while the boiling blood in my chest burns hotter than the red sun~♬”

“Whether victory or defeat, only the heavens know the truth~♫”

Songs like "The Strength of Men Endures" evoked memories of Xiang Yu’s valor and became work songs sung in the fields. "One Roar at the Sea," recalling Xiang Yu’s demise, turned into a drinking song for people unwinding after work. And "Don’t Let the Dawn Come," sung by Yu Ji, was now a wedding anthem, symbolizing a fated union.

The cultural impact of Farewell to the Conqueror didn’t end there.

“Checkmate!”

“Argh, no! Even in games, I’ve lost to the King of Han!”

Chess, once a rare pastime enjoyed by the otherworlders, wasn’t too popular. But now, a new game had been introduced with licensed skins from Farewell to the Conqueror.

‘Isn’t a Chu-Han version of chess just like Go?’

When I first got the business proposal and decided to produce a new board game based on Farewell to the Conqueror, I had my doubts.

I figured they’d just change the appearance of the pieces and sell it. How successful could it be, really?

...But the final product far exceeded my expectations—in the strangest way.

“I summon Han Xin, the unrivaled strategist, with my commander card! Now the Han Dynasty’s attack power increases by 500 points!”

“Hahaha, foolish! Then I’ll summon Fan Zeng with my strategist card and Zhong Limei with my general card, ending my turn! This increases Chu’s defense points by 300!”

“Idiots! No matter who you summon, you can’t beat this broken card! Come forth, Emperor Qin Ying Zheng! Absorb their life points with the Essence Absorption Technique for immortality!”

They had mixed in a card battle format to utilize the various heroes from the play. Special cards like Zhang Liang, Fan Kuai, Long Ju, Xiang Liang, and Emperor Qin influenced the strategy, making the game a hybrid of Yu-Gi-Oh! and chess.

The Farewell to the Conqueror board game turned into something that modern people might call, “What a terrifying hybrid!”

‘Yet its popularity is astonishing.’

Unlike chess, which was mostly enjoyed by nobles, the Farewell to the Conqueror board game had mass appeal.

The gameplay was more intuitive than it seemed, the strategic elements easy to grasp, and with a plethora of cards enhancing the fun.

Now it was common knowledge that taverns, clubs, and even most households had to have at least one Farewell to the Conqueror board game set.

“How dare you insult me! Let’s duel! Draw your cards!”

“Alright! Let’s have a match!”

“Sir, you are suffering from a severe case of Farewell to the Conqueror board game addiction.”

“Hmph. Nonsense. Prove it with a match, doctor.”

“Assistant? Bring the game board.”

Just like Starcraft or LOL, the board game had practically become a national pastime. Whether it was leisure, gambling, or even settling disputes, society was now united by Farewell to the Conqueror.

But honestly, all of that was just the tip of the iceberg.

There was a situation that truly left me bewildered...

<><><><><><>

“You must be the famous playwright, Phantom. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“Oh, uh, yes. It’s an honor for me as well. And your name is...?”

“I am Myr. I am the head of the envoy sent by the Celestial Son of the World Tree to establish trade with the West.”

He greeted me with an Elven hand salute, followed by a human handshake.

The Elf noble, dressed in fine silk, introduced himself courteously. Then he turned his head and spoke gently to Professor Gabi, standing beside me.

“It’s truly impressive that one of our people has fostered such remarkable cultural exchange for the sake of uniting our two races. The Celestial Son will surely be proud of you, Lady Gabi.”

“You flatter me, Lord Myr. I only offered advice. Farewell to the Conqueror is solely the work of the great writer Phantom.”

We were currently at the Clausetwitz Imperial Palace.

After the limited-run performance had caused a sensation in the capital, the Elf envoy, intrigued by the Farewell to the Conqueror phenomenon, had requested a meeting with me.

“Lord Myr, may I ask why you wished to meet with me? I’m just a playwright.”

“A mere playwright? You are far too modest, Lord Phantom.”

At my question, Myr gave me a meaningful smile. Then, looking me straight in the eye, he made a serious proposal.

“Your work is a masterpiece, even from an Elven perspective. No, I’d say it’s the opposite. Only Elves can truly understand the hidden meanings woven throughout. You’ve so systematically embedded Eastern culture and philosophy that I briefly wondered if you were a half-Elf raised in the East.”

“Haha...”

“Therefore, I would like to formally propose something.”

With a snap of his fingers, Myr called for the Elf attendants waiting behind him.

One of them brought forward a heavy chest, unlocking it to reveal its contents.

What?!

I froze in place as I saw what was inside.

It was filled with shining gold and silver ingots, commonly seen in wuxia novels or comics.

Myr pointed to the gleaming treasure and made his intentions clear.

“Please sell us the rights to the Farewell to the Conqueror script. We wish to take it back to the World Tree and share the story with everyone.”

“Uh, what?”

“Rest assured, this is merely a token of our sincerity.”

Stunned, I stammered a response. Perhaps mistaking my confusion for reluctance, Myr smiled and snapped his fingers again.

This time, another attendant brought forward a white porcelain liquor bottle.

“This is a famous liquor brewed from a 200-year-old ginseng. Its market value is equivalent to several mansions, and its flavor is divine. Not to mention, it has extraordinary effects in enhancing a man’s... vigor.”

...Enhancing a man’s vigor?

“It’s good for... you know, stamina, writer.”

“I-I know that.”

Professor Gabi teased with a whisper before retreating with a mischievous grin. Embarrassed, I cleared my throat and turned my attention back to Myr.

‘So, in simple terms, you want to buy the remake rights?’

It was certainly within their rights to ask.

While not as developed as modern-day Earth, this world did have a concept of intellectual property rights.

And it wasn’t uncommon for masterpieces to be remade in various countries. Films like Oldboy and The Man from Nowhere followed similar paths in Korea.

But even so, I found it hard to accept the envoy’s offer.

“You’re offering this much money just to buy a script? Isn’t that excessive?”

“What are you saying? You are not just any ordinary playwright but a certified Hero candidate, are you not?”

Myr responded with an incredulous look, glancing at the Orichalcum Medal pinned to my chest.

“The one thing we Elves detest the most is failing to pay a fair price for a master’s work. How could we tarnish the reputation of a Hero candidate by offering a pittance? If we did that, we couldn’t hold our heads high under the World Tree.”

“A master’s work... I’m sorry, but are you sure you know the full story of Farewell to the Conqueror? After all, the protagonist... hmm...”

The part about Xiang Yu burning the World Tree was a creative liberty meant to soften the impact on human audiences.

But from an Elven perspective, it’s nothing short of blasphemy, enough to make them foam at the mouth in rage.

And now they want to take that script back to the World Tree and perform it?

“The heavens move in their proper order only when the rightful one governs the world.”

But Myr’s expression remained unchanged.

In fact, he looked even more resolute, speaking firmly as he continued.

“When the unworthy seize power, their arrogance and selfishness plunge the world into misery. This is the teaching of the World Tree. But nowadays, many Elves have forgotten this truth and instead obsess over sheer strength. They fail to see the arrogance and pride that such obsession brings.”

“...”

“There are many plays in Elven lands, but none have encapsulated the dangers of blind ambition as thoroughly as Farewell to the Conqueror. The scenes of burying 200,000 soldiers alive or burning the World Tree are indeed shocking. But sometimes, drastic measures are necessary to impart a meaningful lesson.”

So the Elves’ storytelling skills were as lacking as the humans’? They’ve never seen a better story than Farewell to the Conqueror?

And they believe in taking extreme measures to drive home a lesson?

Considering that Elven thought was somewhat similar to Confucianism, it wasn’t that strange a reaction.

After all, Confucianism was rigid but also flexible in its logic.

Confucians often compiled stories of tyrants and criticized their wrongdoings through their subordinates. Mencius even advocated overthrowing corrupt rulers.

“And don’t worry. As I said, we’ll be making plenty of adjustments.”

With a kindly smile, Myr ticked off his fingers, as if counting.

“Han Wang Liu Bang, Grand Marshal Han Xin, Zhang Liang, Xiao He, Ying Bu, and so on. We’ll ensure that all of these compelling characters have their moments to shine. If you sell us the rights, we’ll transform Farewell to the Conqueror from a story focused on Xiang Yu into an ensemble drama featuring all the heroes.”

An ensemble drama centered on Liu Bang, Han Xin, Zhang Liang, Xiao He, Ying Bu, and the rest?

Strangely, that felt familiar.

“That’s a decent idea. But if you do that, won’t the title Farewell to the Conqueror no longer fit the story?”

“Of course. As the structure changes, the title will also need to be revised. We’ve already thought of a working title. Since the story revolves around the struggle for supremacy between Chu and Han...”

After clearing his throat, Myr suddenly smiled brightly and turned to me, looking rather pleased.

“How about calling it Records of the Chu-Han Contention (Chu-Han Ji), Lord Phantom?”

“...”

“Hm? Is something wrong?”

“No. Nothing at all.”

My goodness. The original Records of the Chu-Han Contention was being revived in this world, in this way.

<><><><><><>

In the end, I agreed to sell the remake rights to the envoy.

It was hard to refuse their earnest plea to showcase the message of Farewell to the Conqueror—that ‘the world cannot be ruled by force alone’—in their homeland.

And for this, I provided them with additional information that had been left out of the play, as though it were behind-the-scenes trivia.

Like Zhang Liang’s assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang, the plot involving Chang Hai and the historian, or the tragic deaths of Han Xin, Peng Yue, and Ying Bu after the unification of the empire.

‘I wonder if the Elven audience will despise Liu Bang and Empress Lü for killing their meritorious officials, or if they’ll hate Han Xin for being such an utterly clueless failure in politics.’

Well, either way, it’s no longer my story.

It’s up to the audience to decide what’s right or wrong. They can debate the righteousness of betrayal and purges all they want.

“Good work, Lord Phantom.”

Professor Gabi’s familiar voice chimed in as we exited the palace.

The palace guards opened the gate for her, and she gracefully made her way out as she spoke.

“You’ve worked hard. I have somewhere urgent to go, so I’ll be heading back now.”

“Thank you for your hard work as well. Please take care and return safely.”

“Oh, by the way!”

Just as she was about to leave, Professor Gabi turned back to me with a playful smile.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my promise. I’m not one to go back on my word.”

“Huh?”

A promise?

“Um, excuse me, what promise are you talking about? Did we make a promise?”

“Haha, well, who knows? You’ll have to figure that out yourself.”

Rather than offering a clear explanation, Professor Gabi simply smiled and waved goodbye.

She left without further clarification, leaving me standing there, bewildered at the entrance to the palace.

“What the...?”

What on earth was that about? She just had to leave me feeling awkward.

Anyway, I had no more business in the palace.

I might as well head back to the dorm and take a nice, long nap.

But just as I was about to leave, a large man, as imposing as a bear, began walking toward me.

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“Excuse me, are you Lord Phantom, the Hero candidate?”

“Yes? Yes, that’s me.”

“Nice to meet you. I am Bernhardt, an aide to Prince Wolfgang.”

When I nodded in affirmation, the large man greeted me and said,

“His Highness the Prince wishes to see you for a moment. Could you spare a little time?”

<><><><><><>

Meanwhile, at the same time, in a quiet clearing where a massive, cross-shaped rock stood.

Crash! Crack!

Boom, boom—!!

“Huff, huff...!”

Maya, who had been wildly swinging her sword, suddenly collapsed to her knees, exhausted.

Ever since she watched the second part of Farewell to the Conqueror, she had come to this place every day, swinging her sword endlessly.

Frustration she couldn’t quite pinpoint welled up inside her, driving her into a frenzy of training.

She would tear up the solid ground with sword aura, and in a fit of anger, she would cleave down trees that wouldn’t fall no matter how many times they were axed.

But no matter how much she practiced, the feeling lodged in her chest wouldn’t disappear.

It felt like a sharp awl was stuck in her heart, burning and pricking her with constant pain.

“...”

Unable to diagnose her own state, she gripped the hilt of her sword, biting her lip.

“You were here, Maya.”

A warm, familiar voice came from beside her.

It was Gabi, her former master, whose teachings she had once rejected, walking away from her.