Chương 23: Famous Author (5)
Edited by: Kuro and Lille
In the 2 months that Calvin came to this world, he left his house once a week so that he could stockpile his novels. He was able to finish two series and created two other books not relating to the two series. This was the power of working together with System 225.
His first series was the one with Captain Ralph; the second one was with the servant, Winsten, who betrayed his King, ultimately killing him in the end. Winsten was seen as the Villain from that day on. He did everything he could, followed orders, and even sacrificed his life for his little sister. What he found out on his deathbed, was that his sister used him while she ended up with the Crown Prince, Harley. He didn't show the POV of the Crown Prince, only that of the "villain" who sacrificed his life for his sister. In the end, there was a snippet of how the Crown Prince and Harley were doing without Winsten. There was no emphasis on romance in this series, but it had plenty of action and angst.
In the future, he will be known for writing stories about Villains and showing their sides of the story, as well as his LGBTQIA+ representation.
"Experiencing so many lives really was a benefit to me..." Even if there were a lot of horrendous experiences, at least he could learn from every single one of them. Sometimes, he wished his memory wasn't so enhanced, so he could slowly forget the things that hurt him and caused him pain, at the same time, it was a constant reminder of who he was and who he didn't want to be. It was a double-edged sword in a sense.
Calvin stretched his limbs because he felt that they were stiff from the prolonged unuse. He had been sitting for hours writing another book. He was too motivated, but he had to rest.
Tomorrow he was going to the gala for the 1st anniversary of the original's first book, Zeonia. The original didn't go to this gala or anything related to his book as he was too busy grieving for his book and the editor who stabbed him in the back.
At the gala, he decided he would "greet" his former editor, and announce his new series, I'd Do Anything for You. Luckily, he didn't have to worry about 'OOC'ing too quickly as only his editor knew how he really was, but the editor would probably write off his change in personality as anger for James' betrayal.
As he was making his way to the kitchen, he heard a knock on his door. His snack would have to be put off for a bit.
"Mr. Calvin, it's me, Lucy!" Lucy's voice was really loud.
"Come in."
The door clicked and let Lucy in. She was holding a lot of things and stumbled over to the couch to place them down. She sighed in relief as her arms were starting to ache from holding all the clothes by herself. She thought it was about time she went to the gym if she had to do labor like this from time to time.
"Thanks, boss. I got the stuff that you wanted us to wear for tomorrow's party."
The party's theme was Zeonian themed, which made sense since Zeonia was the series the original wrote and what they were celebrating for. The dress code for the party was to wear Zeonian attire or something that was inspired by the series. Zeonian attire looked closely like medieval but it had a more modern twist. They still had swords and shields and such, but it all looked more relatable to their society now. However, if a person didn't want to dress up, they at least had to wear formal attire.
In the Trilogy, Zeonia was a planet with different races. There were humans, beastkin, elves, dwarves, fairies, and demons. There were also monsters and legendary creatures like dragons, unicorns, and Fenrirs.
Calvin decided to wear something similar to the Elf Prince's, Ailas Faelar, casual outfit. He wasn't cosplaying but wearing an outfit that was inspired by this Elf Prince. He had the hair length, all he needed was the clothes, and the accessories, which Lucy had just brought in. He also had to put his long hair in a simple braid that rested on his left shoulder.
By the way, Lucy was dressing up in Elf Prince's little sister, Vasati Faelar's, casual outfit. Of course, it wasn't cosplaying as it was just influenced by the character. Her hair would be put up in a bun, covered in flowers and a couple of butterflies, just like Ailas'. They didn't wear any crowns, but they put a few gemstones in their hair to give off an ethereal feeling.
The Elf Prince's style of clothing was translucent, made of a couple of layers of sheer fabric. The style looked almost like a Yukata, but it was looser (and with a lot less fabric) showing more of his chest. It was light green and white, with flowers embroidered on it. A sheet of light green Swiss dot fabric draped over him like a cape. This outfit was different from the armored outfit, but it was beautiful enough for him to wear to the party.
The Elf Princess's style of clothing was also made of translucent fabric. Her long sheath dress was tight on the top and loose at the hips down. But the fabric was so thin, it seemed like she was wearing only one piece of fabric while she was actually wearing four. Her chest had a green leaf design to cover it while down her hips to her thighs, there was a layer of fabric to make her crotch and bust areas not see-through. Her dress was also light green with embroidered flowers on it. In the light, you could see the dress glitter.
The fashion designer who made these clothes was excited to see her greatest creation at the gala. If people didn't watch the movies or TV series, they would think that these were the original clothing used.
"Do I have to wear this outfit?" Lucy questioned, embarrassed by how revealing her dress was. It was revealing but not revealing at the same time. She wasn't used to clothing like this as she mostly wore pencil skirts and blazers, aka, what she wore to work.
"Well, you don't have to," Calvin replied, "I would just need to find someone else to come to the party with me and wear it. After all, we would have to match, right?"
"I understand! Then I will wear it." Lucy was a huge fan of Calvin and ever so desperately wanted to go to the party. It was a dream come true. She just needed to get over her embarrassment.
"Don't worry, I will protect you, alright?"
"Thank you!" She smiled happily.
If his new editor didn't come to the gala, it would be a bit strange. Also, he wanted to see how strong fate was for the favorite children of the gods. He doubted they would get together this time around, but it was still interesting to see.
*****
The night of the Gala arrived quickly, filling the hearts of many rich folks with joy.
The attendees to this party were, of course, the author and his former editor, his current editor, the cast and staff members of both the show and movie, famous CEOs from around the world, and the publishing company's staff. There were also other famous authors, actors and actresses, singers, dancers, etc. The party was just filled with famous people who enjoyed the spotlight, though some actually enjoyed Zeonia.
The Gala was also on TV, so many TV stations tuned in to the party. There was also a live stream for those who enjoyed surfing through the internet instead.
Five minutes before the start of the Gala, a handsome man exited a limo with a beautiful lady. They were wearing an outfit that looked similar to the Elf Prince and Princess's clothes, attracting everyone's attention. Both their outfits were revealing but somehow not quite revealing. It was like the two had come straight out of the book, walking with grace and nobility.
"Who are they?" People whispered as the two walked the red carpet.
The two didn't stop for paparazzi or reporters, they just continued walking until they got to a certain spot on the red carpet. They posed for a couple of pictures before finally making it to the entrance of the reception hall where the gala was.
The guard at the front stopped the two. "Invitation please."
"Of course," Calvin said as he took out an envelope from his hidden pocket.
The man opened the envelope and almost wanted to vomit blood. For him to be so rude to the actual author of the book?!
"I apologize for my rudeness!"
"That's fine."
"I made a mistake! Please enjoy yourselves."
"Thank you."
It was a short exchange, but the people inside and outside of the hall were curious as to who the man was. How important could he be for even the guard to be that flustered?
Even though Lucy seemed confident, on the inside she felt like dying. How was Calvin able to withstand all the staring? She wanted to fold over and cry. She was even in an embarrassing outfit!
Her inner thoughts couldn't be heard by anyone else as she grieved.
Calvin pretended he didn't understand her body language and scanned the crowd. Searching for a few seconds, he found the man he was looking for. They made eye contact for a brief moment, but James looked away quickly. This made Calvin grin.
Calvin walked up to the man, a huge smile on his face as he happily said, "James, it's so good to finally see you again."
Hearing Calvin's voice, James, wearing something similar to the main character's outfit, Ethan, turned around as he pretended that this was actually when he noticed the other man. "Calvin, it has been a while since I have seen you. How have you been?" The man looked like he had just bit his tongue and tried to play it off.
"I was a little sad when you resigned from being my editor, but I pulled myself together and wrote as much as I could in the time you were gone," Calvin replied happily as if James had done no wrong, "I also got a new editor."
Calvin signaled Lucy to introduce herself.
Lucy already knew what happened between the former editor and Calvin, so she was not phased by him. Instead, she smiled professionally at James. "My name is Lucy. It is a pleasure to meet Calvin's former editor." Her greeting was short and sweet but like a stab to James.
There was no mercy.
"Lucy, was it? Well, my name is James, it's a pleasure to meet you too." His greeting was stiff, but he did well to maintain his facade. Even though he looked happy to see Calvin, his guilty conscience made him seem awkward the longer they talked.
She gave a nod before looking at Calvin.
Calvin, getting her signal, smiled at James happily. "I heard after you quit being my editor, you came out with a new book. I also heard it has been well received. Will there be a second book?"
Every word was like a stab in James' heart. He felt guilty for stealing Calvin's book, but it wasn't fair. He was supposed to be a famous author, but his qualifications were only good enough to be an editor. Life was so cruel, what was wrong with stealing just one book? He knew there was everything wrong... He knew and he still felt guilty. He masked that and smiled because he didn't want anyone to see how he really felt.
"I don't know if I am going to be writing a second book, but if I do, I will let you know." How could he tell Calvin that he was having writer's block and couldn't continue with the story that even Calvin had writer's block with? How could he tell Calvin that the moment he tried to write, he would think of Calvin? It was too humiliating.
"Fantastic! Be sure to tell me if you do write a second book. I'm very excited and can't wait to see what happens next."
"It's an honor to have you read my story." He awkwardly chuckled, wanting to end the conversation but not knowing how.
Lucy, who intentionally made the situation worse for James, smirked. "Mr. James, your clothing is wonderful and well made. Your outfit looks so similar to the main character's clothes when he was granted an audience with the First Lord. Is that brooch a prop from the movie? I can't tell the difference. It looks like you were the main character of Zeonia instead." She had watched the movies 5 times! She was quite proud of her observations.
"Yes, your outfit is well done. It's almost like how I pictured Ethan's (the MC of Zeonia) outfit to be."
James felt like these two were purposefully picking a fight with him, but what could he do? This was a gala for Calvin's book, not his!
"My outfit isn't as great as both of yours though. I didn't put too much effort into it, which is why my outfit is quite lackluster in comparison."
"Oh, you flatter too much, James. Give yourself some more credit. The outfit looks great on you."
There wasn't anything wrong with wearing an outfit influenced by the main character because there were plenty of others who had done the same. He just didn't know why he felt so stupid in front of Calvin. He just wasn't prepared to face Calvin, who he knew barely went outside. Was this Calvin's revenge? To humiliate him in public and on TV? Well, Calvin was certainly doing a good job because James wanted to find a hole to die in.
But really, Calvin had no intentions for revenge. He just wanted to be a bit petty and tease James. Also, he wanted to see for himself how James was doing. The man was going through writer's block and didn't have Lucy to comfort him. It was no surprise that he wasn't achieving what he had in the world plot.
"Well, it seems like Lucy and I have kept you from your friends for too long. Let's meet again soon."
"Of course, Calvin. I will treat you to dinner or lunch someday."
"Hmm, I will hold you to that," Calvin said as he walked away with Lucy.
Seeing Calvin leave, James sighed in relief. He couldn't handle Calvin at all. They had gone through four books together, but Calvin was just too much for him. He didn't like to go outside and didn't like people much. When he tried to force him out, he would throw a tantrum and lock his door.
But now he was going outside? Was it because he stole Calvin's book? He gritted his teeth and tried to compose himself. He was the essence of calm, calm was him... He took a deep breath before finally talking to the others around him.
James didn't even notice Calvin's change in personality. He justified it as anger and revenge. This made it a lot easier for Calvin to integrate more of "his personality." He wasn't as nice as the last world nor was he with that asshole of man from his original world. Honestly, he didn't really know what his true personality was. He was so many people, he could be so many people...
He shook the thought out of his head.
After leaving James, Calvin and Lucy went around the reception hall, greeting and introducing himself as the author. Many people were shocked to finally meet Calvin in person, but they couldn't help but stare. He was just too beautiful, especially in that outfit!
After a while, Calvin met a really handsome man who was definitely his type. He looked very familiar though but he couldn't put his finger on it as to where he had met or seen the man. The man wasn't wearing Zeonian attire, but he wore a tuxedo and a black bowtie. He seemed to be a CEO instead of an actor or a director.
"Hello, my name is Calvin Scott, and you are?"
"Ian Perez, it's a pleasure to meet you too."
"Likewise."
The two shook hands. At that moment, Calvin felt a tingle run up his arm. He immediately looked up and stared at Ian's eyes.
[Host...]
'Yes, it's God System...'
[Host, you know he won't remember you.]
'I know.'
"Is there something on my face?" Ian asked, wanting to put a hand to his face to see if there was anything he needed to wipe off.
Calvin let go of Ian's hand and shook his head. "No, I just thought you seemed like someone I knew... Maybe I was mistaken." It wasn't a lie though.
"I see."
Afterward, the two exchanged business cards. There was a moment of silence before a woman tapped on Ian's arm. She was wearing a black dress to match Ian. She was Ian's fiancée.
He looked towards her and smiled. "Calvin, this is my fiancée, Valerie Dubois."
"It's an honor to meet the famous author behind Zeonia." Valerie smiled but her eyes looked at Lucy for a split second before looking at Calvin once more.
Calvin, coming out of his stupor, shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you too."
God System already had a fiancée... Ah... It hurt a lot more than he thought it would. He thought God System would be single before meeting him but he was wrong. Did he even have the heart to break them up when they were happily engaged like that? Even though he promised to find the man, why did it hurt so much?
"Well, we should get going. It was a pleasure meeting you both." Calvin tapped on Lucy's arm to signal her to get going. She complied and the two walked away from Ian and Valerie.
The rest of the night, Calvin didn't look at Ian even when he could feel his stare.
Later in the night, as the author of Zeonia, he was given the opportunity to speak onstage to give his thanks to his fans, the company, and his editor. He also spoke about the motivation and inspiration his fans had given him, but also how much he struggled to finish the series.
"But writing Zeonia was worth every tear and anger that I had. It took a lot out of me and gave me stress, but my fans and my editor were there for me, always helping me move forward. For that, I give my thanks to you all."
It was an emotional speech that moved a lot of people. It felt genuine. He didn't lie, saying it was easy, that it was fun, or that he was able to write well. He talked about writer's block, the stress, the sadness, and the anger he had as he wrote the story. This made him feel more human and more relatable.
"Even though it was not easy for me to continue writing, I decided to keep writing. That's why, please be on the lookout for my next book. I completed it before coming here, so stay tuned."
Calvin had no shame in promoting his new book. Everyone who heard this was super happy to hear the news. A new book? Was it another series? He didn't give any details but everyone wanted to read it!
System 225 couldn't help but facepalm. His Host was shameless. The way he talked about the struggles he didn't face (because he didn't even write that story) but was able to make it seem like he did. Shameless. Utterly shameless. And the way he transitioned from talking about his struggles to his new book wasn't smooth at all!
Even with his rough transition, no one really cared and only cared about how he had written a new book.
The world wanted to see this book.
Would this book be able to stand on par with Zeonia or would this book make Calvin fall from his pedestal?
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
MakusCorner
MakusCorner Lille: The whiplash of teasing James then God System having a fiance— ＿|￣|○
Grandpa Marky: Honestly, I recently got offered a contract with Webnovel, but I am not quite sure what to do. This story is free (and completed) on four other sites so I do not see the need to sign a contract... I don't know, does anyone have any opinions on that?
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