My Years as a Copyist in Taiwan

Chapter 77 Are we really just Muggles?

With his novel "Norwegian Wood," Mr. Snail silenced the serious literary circles in Japan. Everyone was waiting for his next masterpiece, but instead, the children's book "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" came out.

The Yomiuri Shimbun's front page featured a full-width black headline:

[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is not a children's book!]

Mr. Snail has fooled everyone!

Subtitle: This isn't children's literature; it's a whole new world.

At this moment, the Japanese are watching the drama unfold, cheering for Akina Nakamori. What are you doing here, Yomiuri Shimbun, causing trouble? Get out of here!

Wait, something seems off. What does "Mr. Snail fooled everyone" mean? How come I wasn't fooled?

What did I miss?

At first, we thought Mr. Snail had written another children's book.

We only realized this after watching it—

He didn't write children's books.

He wrote about the dream that each of us had when we were children.

That dream about magic that we thought we had long forgotten.

""

A professor from the University of Tokyo wrote a commentary in the Asahi Shimbun, which is quite rare: "We thought he was the king of serious literature, but he opened the door to a new world for us."

Platform 9¾ is not a fantasy for children.

It's for every adult whose edges have been worn down by life.

Can you believe that behind the ordinary world, there is a magical world waiting for you?

The story of the child riding a broomstick brought an end to the media frenzy surrounding the official announcement of the female lead in "Love Letter," much to Zhao Wen's regret. Such great buzz, ruined by this lousy book... What? I wrote this lousy book too? Oh well, never mind then...

Zhao Wen knew why the Yomiuri Shimbun exclaimed in surprise: Harry Potter wasn't originally intended for children!

Alchemy, potions, herbalism, divination, defense against the dark magic, as well as astrological charts, herbal texts... There are also many heavy things in it, such as the setting of a Muggle family abusing a wizard child at the very beginning. How can a child understand the true meaning in it?

And then there's alchemy, which involves the history of European thought; you can't really grasp it without a certain level of cultural background.

However, people in the history department and world folklore circles in Japan were very interested in the book they had just bought. They even found fault with Mr. Snail, saying that some chapters were too geared towards the general reader and lacked academic depth. They hoped that Mr. Snail could be more professional!

"Compared to Mr. Snail, don't we seem like Muggles?"

"Uh, why?"

"Someone can casually write a book and it becomes a phenomenon, while we can't even guess what they're thinking. Aren't we just Muggles?"

17

Haruki Murakami, who was conceiving "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" at the time, felt a profound sense of powerlessness after reading "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone": "I'm so stupid, really, what am I even chasing after? Are we all, in Mr. Snail's mind, just Muggles?"

In 82, although Japan's economy had "taken off," it still had a tendency to admire foreign things.

As an "overseas writer," Zhao Wen naturally has the advantage of being a "foreign monk chanting scriptures better," making him a cut above local Japanese writers. Furthermore, he has written several masterpieces that are absolutely crushing, making Japanese people feel like "we are not on the same level as them."

So when a reporter interviewed Tokuma Yasuyoshi, the founder of Tokuma Bookstore, he said something that later became famous throughout Japan: "I knew after reading the first chapter that this wasn't a book for children, but for every adult who still has a child inside them. Mr. Snail's mind contains an entire world; he is the wizard of our Muggle world!"

Ken-On was originally founded as a research and publishing firm under the Regatta News Publishing House, and only became an independent entity a few years ago.

At this point, although they had cards like Nakamori Akina and Asano Yuko in their hands, compared to Kondo Haruka's Johnny's and the Burning Group, Yanon was still a little behind. But President Hanami Tsuru felt that now, there was no gap! In fact, Yanon's future would definitely crush yours!

Hanami Tsuru's father was a famous reporter for the Yomiuri Shimbun. He himself was a music director at a Japanese television station and had a deep understanding of the elements that contribute to an artist's growth. He knew, "Nakamori Akina, my daughter, you're really about to take off!"

In real history, Hanami Tsuru did not have a daughter, so in his heart, Nakamori Akina was his daughter.

Nakamori Akina was indeed nurtured by him from a talent show contestant into the future diva she is today. The biography is absolutely right. He protected Akina with a fatherly heart, initially believing Akina's collaboration with Kondo Haru-gan would be the most wonderful thing, but in the end, it harmed Akina...

'

Hanami Tsuru is a shrewd businessman with skill and vision; otherwise, Yan Yin wouldn't have risen from a second-rate firm to a top-tier one under his management.

"Mizuko, has Akina's truck arrived yet?"

"President, I've already followed up twice today! The dealership is expediting the dispatch of a car, but the white one you requested is simply out of stock..."

'

During this period, Akina was the mainstay and eldest princess of Yanyin, as well as the main source of income for Ken-on, so Hanami Tsuru provided her with a decent car—a Toyota Crown Royal Salon (7th generation S12 model) and a Mazda Luce.

But who is Akina Nakamori now?

Mr. Snail, a rising star heavily promoted by Tokuma Shoten and Kodansha! His record sales jumped from 20 to 120 copies in just three days.

Ten thousand songs from the Showa era... aspiring diva!

Shouldn't she get a car that better matches her status?

The W126 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL is the top-of-the-line model in the Mercedes-Benz series, a vehicle for heads of state. Hanami Tsuru bought it without hesitation for only 1000 million yen. Does Yan Yin lack that much money?

"Keep urging them. Also, go and call Miko and Motoko over," Hanami Tsuru instructed.

Miko and Motoko are Hanami Tsuru's most capable managers, and also highly professional "information experts"—information experts in the entertainment industry.

"Miko, have a few people go through all of Mr. Snail's novels and compile a list of the types of female characters he writes—hairstyle, clothing, personality, way of speaking—and bold and check off any that have similarities!"

"Yuanzi, have someone keep watch over the bookstores, cafes, and restaurants that Mr. Snail frequents, but don't say anything yet!"

I know he rarely goes out. Go to these places; they're all places he's been to before! I don't need you to take pictures. Just get to know the staff there and try to find out what Mr. Snail likes to eat and drink the most…”