Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 553

Chapter 553

553 Prologue. Side Story Announcement
Thank you all for waiting so patiently.

At long last, the side story for Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint is beginning.

I’ve started the process, but to be honest, I’m not entirely sure what to write. This story wasn’t originally conceived with a spin-off in mind.

During my break, I went through the comments readers left on the main story, and I was genuinely astonished.

You are all brilliant. Meanwhile, I can’t seem to conjure a single idea. How careless of me… Truthfully, I haven’t even settled on a main character yet.

When I was writing ORV, the words flowed effortlessly, but now my mind is utterly empty, as if I’d been struck hard on the back of my skull.

Even so, the reason I’m writing this notice is that I feel I ought to at least put something out there.

.

.

.

After typing that much, I stopped and held down the backspace key.

Damn it, what am I even doing? No matter how difficult things get, this isn’t something a professional writer should be saying.

I gnawed on a fingernail and began a new sentence.

Maybe it should start like this?

.

.

.

Now that I think about it, I never properly introduced myself. My identity is technically revealed in chapter 549 of 『Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint』, but you’ve all probably forgotten.

To phrase it like Kim Dokja might, this is who I am.

Lee Hakhyun (李鶴翾).

My father, wishing for me to soar like a graceful crane, paid a significant sum of 300,000 won at a Philosophy Hall and gave me this name.

The crane’s wings are spread wide¹.
[1] It signifies a person’s skills and talents reaching their full potential. Just as a crane unfolds its wings to take flight, a person’s abilities are fully realized and take flight.

The Philosophy Hall² that provided my name went out of business not long after, and only then did my father notice the subtle parentheses placed before the character “翾,” which means “to fly (lightly).”
[2] Philosophy Hall 철학관. A place for fortune-telling. Korean reading: 이학현; Chinese characters: (李鶴翾); Hak(鶴=crane)에 날 Hyun(翾=wing, fly).

In short, my life has unfolded accordingly: Lee Hakhyun, 33 years old, a web novel author who has been (lightly) hit.

For the record, the title of my one and only successful work is:

Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint – Total 551 chapters

―Author Lee Hakhyun

A lengthy fantasy novel spanning 551 chapters, 『Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint』, often shortened to “ORV”.

I dedicated two years of my life to this novel, from my late twenties into my early thirties…

I got that far and hit backspace again.

I just introduced myself, and that was even worse. What’s the point of introducing myself when I’m not even the protagonist of this side story?

*Buzz.*

That wasn’t the sound of a probability spark; it was my cell phone vibrating.

I pressed the answer button with a grave expression, like Kim Dokja bracing for a probability storm. The voice of my assigned dokkaebi came through.

―Author-nim.

This was the second most dreaded phrase for me these days.

“Yes.”

―Are you working on the side story?

And that was the first.

“No.”

The sigh on the other end belonged to Ji Eunyu, my dedicated editor.

To be direct, Ji Eunyu is a producer with many years in the industry. To be more specific, she is the reason I, a former writer of pure literature, was pulled into this world. Thinking of it that way, she was my benefactor.

―What are you going to do?

I responded with a despondent voice.

“That’s the question. What should I do?”

―You aren’t playing a game right now, are you? That new one that just launched?

“I only just installed it.”

―Then why is Steam showing you as online?

“It starts up automatically when I turn on my computer.”

―No? I just got a notification that a game launched?

I quickly closed the game that was loading.

“Do you really think I’d play games just for fun? I’m playing for research, to gather ideas.”

―I used to believe that. I truly did.

Ji Eunyu has a theory, honed over her six years as an editor.

Writers who play games for inspiration will continue playing games long after the inspiration has supposedly arrived.

Frankly, I think she’s right.

―What about that idea you mentioned before?

“It didn’t work when I tried to actually write it.”

―You mentioned a crossover with your previous works? We discussed it briefly.

I mentally ran through the titles of my past novels.

『The Orc Philosopher』

『Infinite Instructor』

『System Breaker』

『The Wizard of the Undying World』

『Method Master』

『How to Become a Star Writer』

…

No matter how I looked at it, there was no natural way to blend those stories with ORV.

Furthermore, 『How to Become a Star Writer』 is a meta-fictional story about a writer named Lee Hakhyun (yes, me) getting trapped inside a novel to become a “star writer”—hardly suitable material for a crossover.

And most importantly,

“Why would I crossover with a failure?”

Most of those novels halted serialization before they even reached a paid model.

―I enjoyed every one of them.

“Hearing that doesn’t make me feel any better.”

―You said that last time you got drunk and went up to the rooftop, an idea came to you. Can’t you try that again?

“I already did.”

―Any tingling sensations at the base of your skull? Or perhaps Han Sooyoung visiting your dreams?

I let out a sigh, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

In the novel, Yoo Joonghyuk knocked me out, Han Sooyoung transmitted the story to me, and I wrote it all down… but I don’t know. Lately, I sometimes wish it had actually happened.

―Ugh, I’m sorry.

I understand. Ji Eunyu was only saying that out of her own frustration.

Reports of a market slump arrive daily. I hear Ji Eunyu’s company is also facing financial strain. Many of their staff are leaving, and their signed authors are switching agencies or leaving the industry one by one.

I wonder if my writing a side story will really help in the midst of all this.

―Anyway, there are many readers waiting for a story from author-nim.

“Where are they?”

It’s embarrassing to admit, but “ORV” once topped the free bestseller list on the platform and was performing very well.

There were readers who loved my novel, and discussions began popping up in various online communities.

After finishing, I would secretly search for “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint” and feel a warmth in my chest seeing the readers’ reactions.

That’s all in the past now.

No one remembers my novel anymore.

―Stop being so pessimistic. They are out there.

So where?

I held back the question that rose to my lips.

“I’ll do my best.”

After giving a gloomy reply and ending the call, I decided I needed a drink.

I shut my laptop, went to a nearby convenience store, and bought a can of beer and some snacks. I first picked up potato chips, but then put them back and chose a protein bar instead.

Am I really at the age where I have to worry about these things?

After a quick calorie count, I opened the beer, and Ji Eunyu’s words replayed in my mind.

「 “There are many readers waiting for author-nim’s story.” 」

For your reference, the single parentheses (「」) I use denote a special thought, and I was having one right then.

Were there really still readers waiting for my story?

I finished the beer and logged back into the web novel platform.

A heap of notifications had accumulated. System messages urging me to resume serialization, and notes from other authors announcing their new works.

And…

―I really enjoyed reading, author-nim.

Messages left by readers.

―I’m 14 years old and in middle school. This was the first web novel I ever read ㅜㅜ…

Some messages were endearing, others were deeply sincere.

―Reading this novel is the highlight of my military service…

They were all fragments of stories, gifts left for me by my readers.

Three years have passed since then.

The middle school readers would be in high school now. The high school readers would be in university, the soldiers would be civilians, and the job seekers would likely be employed… I hoped.

Either way, the readers have all moved on and become something new, while I remain here, a mundane man choosing protein bars over potato chips.

―It was fun, author-nim.

A sudden pang of emotion made me spill my beer.

I noticed a notification icon and saw it was a message that had just arrived via the platform.

Who would still be sending messages to the author three years after the serialization ended?

―Sender: RepresentativeKimDokja.

The sender’s ID immediately triggered a memory.

RepresentativeKimDokja.

Back when the serialization was active, there was a reader who used that nickname.

―It’s already been three years since ORV ended. Every year around this time, I get nostalgic and binge-reread it, and I enjoyed it this year, too. It feels like a different story each time I revisit it.

A memory from three years ago surfaced. They were a truly devoted reader.

That’s what I wanted to say.

This reader posted comments every day and sent me words of appreciation regularly.

In short, they were someone who lived up to the nickname “RepresentativeKimDokja” perfectly.

―I don’t know if you remember.

Of course I do. I still recall the messages from that time.

I remember writing right up to the deadline each day, and then reading the messages and comments from readers before collapsing into sleep.

If not for the people who endured that time with me, I could never have withstood that loneliness or written until the final sentence.

I hesitated briefly before reaching for the keyboard. This time, I wanted to reply to the readers not with a new chapter, but with my own words.

However.

―A small fan event will be held tomorrow at 7 PM. If you have time, please come and join. I’ll also have a special gift for the author, as a token of thanks.

A gift?

―My apologies, but there is a fee for admission. I have to make a living, too.

At that moment, the prologue of ORV came to mind.

In the prologue, Kim Dokja receives a message from the author, tls123.

A message stating the epilogue would be released for a fee.

This note seemed to be a little joke from a long-time reader.

I began typing a reply.

―Thank you very much, reader-nim. But, I will gratefully decline the gift. Also, if the ticket isn’t free… wouldn’t that mean I’m essentially buying my own gift? (hahaha)

There’s no way they actually prepared a real gift, right?

But even if they did, it was something I couldn’t accept. How could I shamelessly take a gift after failing to write a side story for three years?

Speaking of which, should I maybe remove this (hahaha)? Do people even use this anymore?

I was naively sipping my beer, pondering such trivial things, completely unaware of what the next day would bring for my life.

Author’s Note

This story is a spin-off of “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint,” but it does not exist outside the main story.

This story is still the story of Kim Dokja, but it does not belong to just one Kim Dokja.

Thank you for waiting so long.

Once again, let us begin “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint.”

(February 2023, Singsong)