Chapter 218

No matter which world we live in, human nature is similar.

Recently, a comic book that is still being serialized has become popular in Maple Stage - "Waiting and Hopeful".

And the manga quickly spread from Maplestage to other countries - for example, Sumire.

After the Art of Using Languages ​​had driven a group of scholars who had fallen into a trance after seeing the advertisement of the Great Sage's passionate recommendation on Bao Shang Street into academic research, Elhaisen picked up the comics that the scholars had submitted voluntarily, and went to Jingshan Palace to find Nashida, who had decided to give the Great Sage a holiday.

As soon as he entered the Jingshan Palace, Elhaisen saw Nashida sitting on the grass elemental swing reading a comic book - it was obvious that the God of Grass had already known about what happened in the Water Kingdom, but just didn't tell the scholars in Sumi City... After all, the great sage was not going out for an international visit, but had already started his retirement vacation, and now only a few people knew about it.

"Alhaisen, have you read that comic?" Nashida closed the comic book in her hand and looked up at Alhaisen who was walking in front of her. "Although I guessed that she would use the name of the Great Sage to do other things, I didn't expect that the first thing that would affect Sumi herself would be the comic book she published with her companions."

"Those scholars were frightened when they passed by Treasure Street." Elhaisen casually placed the comic book on the furniture that Kavi, who often visited the Jingshan Palace recently, bought for Nashida, and sat down opposite Nashida. "I think this is the bad impression left on them by the policies of Sumi City decided by Azar and many great sages in the past."

"The vast majority of Sumi scholars still refuse to acknowledge that art has value."

"What about you? I know you are not such a person, but - in your eyes, how does art exist?" Nashida blinked and handed a large book on her private bookshelf to Elhaisen. "As an intellectual, how do you view the power of words and language beyond academic research?"

"Words and language are powerful in themselves." Lansemello, who was still sitting on a sofa in front of the blazing fireplace in the base, answered the questions of other members. "The embodiment of the power of language is the 'Spirit of Words' - the most typical example of this in mythology is the Tower of Babel."

"The gods made humans who originally spoke the same language speak different languages, so people could not understand each other's languages, and the work on the Tower of Babel was stopped. People who spoke different languages ​​went their separate ways and became different ethnic groups in different corners of the world."

"It was precisely because of the loss of the power of 'language' that the plan of the Tower of Babel was abandoned halfway - people who were supposed to be as close as one family have since become different races."

"What does this have to do with the fact that you prepared an extra copy of The Count of Monte Cristo with only the names of people and places replaced?" Jean Alter, who was rushing to finish his manuscript, smacked his lips impatiently, but did not look at Lansemello. He just continued to work with the otaku fan creator opposite him to perfect the content of the second part of the comic. "Can you call some more people from the Throne of Heroes?"

"Don't be impatient. Who do you want to call? I'll go and summon the troops later." Lansemero sank into the soft sofa and continued to talk about the power of words. "As for words... just like the official version of the Christian scriptures in Europe has always been in Latin rather than the local language - not to mention the mysterious aspects, in the society of that period, ordinary people could not master words at all."

"As long as you master the written language, you can naturally enter a higher social class - this is the most straightforward expression of the power of the written language."

"But speaking of the mysterious side..."

——In the past, when Cang Jie created writing, the sky rained millet and ghosts cried at night.

Most of the Servants taught Fujimaru Ritsuka something they knew - of course, there were very few one-on-one teachings, and most of the time they were a group of people together, each saying a little - just like when Fujimaru Ritsuka was learning magic after the tuning of "Heaven", "Earth" and "Man" began, Taigong Wang once told her in front of a large group of Servants on the scene the story of how people in the past created words and mobilized the power of heaven and earth.

"…Compared to language, writing is the power originally held by the gods." Lansemero stood up and pushed open the door of the room with the summoning array. "So, from the day when humans seized the power of writing, the mystery belonging to the gods began to fade away. Language and writing are the basis of everything. If there is no writing, no language..."

"It is absolutely impossible for humans to understand this world."

Rather than being a comic adapted from "The Count of Monte Cristo", "Waiting and Hope" mainly written by Jean Alter is more like a story adapted from the real life of the revenge ghost. The plot of the first volume that has been released ends at the moment the protagonist successfully escapes from prison, and what follows is not the three world-famous revenges, but three other revenges that the revenge ghost experienced during his lifetime.

"Does the story of the second volume end here?" Jeanne Alter put down her pencil and looked around the restaurant she had requisitioned as her studio. "I drew the dawn scene at the end of the first volume based on the opinions of Caster and the Master. This time, the ending scene... is also the North Pole, which is very important to sailors."

"I kind of understand what kind of story she wants us to express." Zhende sorted out all the manuscripts scattered on the table in order, and smiled at the leisurely people outside the window. "Although the avenger has not been redeemed, and God cannot redeem him - but he still has hope."

"If you look at it this way, isn't it closer to the image of the person we know?"

"Yes, after all, in that record, the vengeful ghost said that he met his fate. But this ending is even more unpalatable to us Avengers than what Dumas wrote."

"Haha, you should try to embrace these beautiful things once in a while, right? After all, we have already met her."

Lansermello, who opened Stargazer Press in Maplestage to publish these comics, witnessed the enthusiasm of the Maplestage people in joining in the fun without surprise - the first batch of comics sold out quickly, and many Maplestage people who were tasked with buying comics for their family and friends could only return home empty-handed and wait for the second batch of sales that would be open to the whole of Teyvat.

"...You guys actually made this." Edmund, who was dressed in purple noble clothing, was also forced to participate in the rush to buy. Now he was standing stiffly in front of Lansermero who was about to close the shop. "Laugh if you want to. You asked someone to adapt the story into a comic book, didn't you just want to see me laugh?"

"When did I ever say that the only purpose of making these comics is to laugh at you?" Lansemello raised his eyebrows, looked Edmund up and down, and finally his eyes fell on the comics in his hands. "You were sent here to buy books by someone else? There is actually someone other than Fujimaru who can ask you to run errands!?"

"It's the wish of the child from Baisong Town." Edmund explained helplessly, "Although their living standards are much better than those in the real slums with the help of the Rose Thorn Society, it is still quite troublesome to go to Maple Garden, or to get something other than the necessities of life. The child's birthday is in a few days, and I plan to give him the comics as a birthday gift."

"I see... It's a good opportunity for you to come here and get acquainted with the place." Lansermello locked the door and led Edmund back to the base. "Fujimaru has come here in response to Jeanne Alter's request. You can go say hello to her now - who knows, you might be able to change our comic creation situation through her."

"Didn't you decide the plot?" Edmund glanced at Lancermello, and his expression returned to his usual indifference. "Ritsuka never interferes casually - and there is no need for me to ask her to change the plot. As I said before, the character written by Dumas is not the same person as me, and the character in your comics, whose names and locations have been changed, has even less to do with me."

"But...wait and hope."

After the second volume of the comic was successfully sold to all countries in the entire Teyvat continent, while Kavi was unable to sleep all night because of the ups and downs of the story, the Acting Great Sage, who was disturbed by him, silently received the second volume of the comic from his roommate, and then went to Jingshan Palace overnight to talk to the Little Auspicious Grass King.

Just like when he received the first volume of the comic from the scholars, Elhaisen sat on the sofa opposite Nashida, and the two continued the topic they had raised last time because of "Waiting and Hope".

"I still hold my previous view - the value of art is not limited to its own form of expression. Words are also a form of expression of art." Elhaisen opened the comic and showed the images of the last two pages to Nashida. "But for most people - even scholars, the first thing that can leave an impression on people is always the images rather than the words."

"If it was the book you showed me, I don't think this story would have caused such a stir in Teyvat - I'm afraid even Maple would not have behaved in such a state."

"I don't want to continue discussing this with you this time." Nashida smiled and looked at the comic book that Elhaisen was holding under his fingers. "Wait and hope - this is the title of this story. Do you see what kind of story she is going to tell with her companions?"

"Based on my personal habit, I think the ending scenes of the two volumes are not meaningless." Elhaisen looked at the huge starry sky that filled the last two pages, and the protagonist standing under the starry sky with scales all over his body. "This starry sky, and the dawn at the end of the previous volume - both represent hope."

“Although I don’t know what she plans to do with the comic version of the story, the ending of each volume undoubtedly conveys hope.”