[34] The Plagiarist

Under Syr's enthusiastic hospitality, Aiden and Hestia once again indulged in a sumptuous feast at the Hostess of Fertility's establishment. The daily specials at the Hostess of Fertility not only varied every day but also left a lingering taste that was simply perfect, effectively resolving the dilemma of decision paralysis.

Not only was the food delicious, but it was also reasonably priced. Coupled with the presence of alluring waitresses and the formidable elf Ryuu and Mia Grand for protection, it's no wonder the Hostess of Fertility became the most renowned restaurant in Orario.

"Hey, Hestia, what kind of novels do you usually read?" Feeling a bit bored, Aiden remembered there was a bookstore not far ahead and decided to strike up a conversation.

"Huh... Aiden-kun, do you also have an interest in novels?" At the mention of this, Hestia became excited and eagerly opened up.

"Like the sweet love story of Mary Sue and Gary Stu, the poignant love story of Miss Jojo and Mr. Brando, the enchanting love story of Cinderella, and the taboo love of Jack and Ennis..."

"...So romance novels are popular even in this otherworldly setting? There's even BL? But what in the world is Miss Jojo and Mr. Brando? Are they twisting Jojo's Bizarre Adventure? And they're gender bendering Jonathan Joestar? And what about The Return of Count Dantès? Is it a rip-off of The Count of Monte Cristo? Or just a coincidence?"

Of course, some of the book titles mentioned also fell into Aiden's blind spot of knowledge. The taboo love story of Jack and Ennis should be inspired by Brokeback Mountain.

"Could it be that there's also a female isekai victim in this world? And she's a plagiarist?" Listening to Hestia constantly spouting out potential points of criticism, Aiden couldn't help but restrain his burning soul of sarcasm.

Listening to Hestia's crisp voice, reminiscent of pearls falling on a plate, was actually enjoyable. However, her inability to stop herself, akin to a surging river or an unstoppable flood, was far from merely opening up but more like an unending torrent.

"Hey, Aiden-kun, are you listening?" Seeing Aiden seeming a bit distracted, Hestia raised her hand and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Oh, sorry, I was thinking about whether to go to the bookstore or not." Aiden snapped back to attention.

"Let's go today! I want to go today! Let's go now!!!" Hestia's eyes lit up like shining orbs at the mention of going to the bookstore, and her voice grew increasingly enthusiastic with each word.

Watching Hestia's adorable excitement, Aiden couldn't resist employing his well-honed skill of head-patting once again.

"Alright, alright, let's go now, Hestia." Aiden also wanted to find out if there was another isekai victim in this world.

With no animosity from gods or hostility from the world, and with Hestia as family, Aiden didn't feel much of the loneliness of being a stranger in a strange land. Instead, he was more curious about this plagiarist.

"Mhm." Hestia nodded like a little chick.

"The bookstore in this world isn't much different from the ones on Earth." As Aiden and Hestia stepped into the bookstore, the first thing that caught their eyes was the counter, manned by a young man who could have been either the owner or a clerk, followed by rows of shelves with labeled books. But this time, Hestia finally didn't recognize the young man. Though it was close to the main road, the bookstore was very quiet. However, as it was mealtime, only a few people remained, browsing through books.

"Hestia, I'll go check over there." Aiden whispered to Hestia.

"Mhm, go ahead, Aiden." Hestia nodded, heading straight for the romance novels.

Seeing the shelves with a small but familiar selection of books like Return of Count Dantès and authors with a sense of deja vu, Aiden directly picked up one. Return of Count Dantès, by Ms. Rowling. 

Opening The Return of Count Dantès, Aiden was surprised to find a synopsis: A thousand years ago, the first mate of the Pharaoh, Edmond Dantes, was entrusted by the captain to deliver a letter to members of the Bonaparte faction, but he was framed by two despicable men and a judge, and thrown into a dungeon. In prison, his cellmate, Mr. Faria, imparted various knowledge to him and revealed the secret of a treasure buried on the sacred island. After escaping, Dantes found the treasure, became immensely wealthy, and took on the alias of the Count of Monte Cristo. With careful planning, he repaid his benefactors and punished his enemies...

"Well, this is basically the alternate world version of The Count of Monte Cristo. Is it a coincidence? Or is this Ms. Rowling really also getting isekai'd? System, are there any other like me in this world?" Aiden asked the silent system.

"It's not impossible."

With the ambiguous answer from the system, Aiden held onto The Return of Count Dantès and headed to the romance novel section where Hestia was. He glanced at the numerous romance novels in front of him, picked up a book by Ms. Rowling, and as he read the contents, his inner sarcasm ignited once again.

Aiden read through Orario Holiday: Princess Audrey, as the heir to the throne of the Augustine Dynasty, is set to visit the major cities of the world. The news has caused quite a stir. The final stop of Princess Audrey's tour is the labyrinth city of Orario, where Princess Audrey is eager to revel in the beautiful scenery of Orario...

"Orario Holiday? Is this a knockoff of Roman Holiday? Damn, they just swapped Audrey Hepburn's Princess Anne for Princess Audrey."

Putting back Orario Holiday on the shelf, Aiden picked up another book, also by Ms. Rowling, and with the same overwhelming sense of deja vu, Miss Jojo and Mr. Brando: Joanna Joestar's father adopted an orphan named Dio Brando and raised him to adulthood. Initially at odds, the two eventually became friends after a series of events. As they grew up, Joanna and Dio developed a strange relationship between kinship, friendship, and romance...

"Damn, they can even remix JOJO like this?" Flipping through Miss Jojo and Mr. Brando, Aiden was left dumbfounded.

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