[35] Woman of Culture

"Now we have solid evidence... a modified version of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood and an alternate world version of Roman Holiday. Surprisingly, there's even an isekai victim in this world. But where is she now?" 

"Also, how long has she been in this world? From the multitude of novels, she must have been here for quite some time. Whether it's a cheat code related to mangas or novels, it could be her source of income, or it could be a hobby, or perhaps like me, it's a requirement from the system. So, has she interacted with characters from the plot? Has she changed any storylines?"

With these questions in mind, Aiden quickly walked to Hestia's side and whispered, "Hestia, do you know Ms. Rowling?" as he raised the copy of The Return of Count Dantès in his hand.

"Aiden-kun, do you also like Ms. Rowling's works?" Hestia put down her novel, her eyes shining with joy at finding a fellow enthusiast.

"Yeah, I quite like the book. It's the first time I've heard of this author. Can you tell me if she has any new works? Is she also in Orario?" Aiden asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I really like The Count of Monte Cristo too. Although I spent a bit of money." Aiden silently added in his mind.

"It turns out Aiden-kun has just discovered Ms. Rowling's works. But it's a pity. Ms. Rowling passed away six months ago, so we won't be able to see any new works from her anymore. Sigh." Hearing this, Hestia felt a bit disheartened, and even her twin tails drooped down.

While we may have different preferences, we are still both men of culture, no, maybe you are a woman of culture, so, farewell, predecessor. While silently mourning this predecessor of the isekai world, Aiden comforted Hestia softly, "Don't be discouraged, Hestia. As long as there are readers like us who love her works, she'll always live on in our hearts, won't she?"

"Yeah, Aiden-kun, you're right." It seemed like Aiden's comforting words had their effect, and a smile returned to Hestia's face.

"I'll pick a few more books. Just wait for me after you're done selecting, okay?" Knowing about the death of this predecessor, Aiden didn't feel too saddened. After all, apart from being fellow isekai inhabitants, this Ms. Rowling was just a stranger to him. However, Aiden was still quite interested in the works of this predecessor.

"Yeah, sure thing, Aiden-kun."

Aiden returned to the shelf of The Return of Count Dantès, searching for other works left behind by this esteemed predecessor, but unfortunately, he found none.

Continuing his search, Aiden then opened the door to a new world.

The next row of shelves was filled with works by this predecessor, and surprisingly, the JoJo series was presented in novel form.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Battle Tendency, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable, and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, but there were no sequels like Stone Ocean, Steel Ball Run, and JoJolion.

To be honest, Aiden was truly shocked, but amidst the shock, there was also delight. Shocked because the JoJo series was thriving in this fantastical world, where everything had changed, and even the medium had shifted from manga to novels. Delighted because, even in another world, there existed a group of people who loved JoJo just as much.

"What's this, 'I'm writing science fiction novels in a fantasy world'?" Aiden couldn't help but smirk at the thought.

"But for this type of predecessor, if you say she doesn't have cheats, I wouldn't believe it. Who could remember every manga and novel they've read down to the last detail? Especially a serialized manga like this. Is it a straightforward copy-paste system, or does she carry her computer data in her mind? Can't imagine carrying a whole library in the depths of your soul." Aiden speculated on what kind of cheats this predecessor might possess.

Aiden casually picked up a copy of Golden Wind and began to read.

"I have to say, this predecessor really has some skill. Despite the added explanations of terms and the shift in genre from manga to novel, the charm of JoJo still shines through..."

"The hymn of mankind is the hymn of courage. The beauty of mankind is the beauty of courage"

"The golden spirit passed down through the generations of JoJo."

Aiden couldn't help but admire the writing and adaptation skills of this predecessor. At the same time, there was some regret that he couldn't meet this fellow JoJo enthusiast.

If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't afford so many, Aiden would definitely have bought the entire JoJo series.

In the end, Aiden purchased his favorite, the complete set of Stardust Crusaders, and Golden Wind, which he hadn't finished watching the anime for back on Earth.

Hestia, on the other hand, purchased two books: Artoria's Gourmet Diary and The Wailing of the Witch of Betrayal! Although the titles were full of flaws in Aiden's opinion, upon closer inspection, they had no connection to the moonlit world at all. The Artoria and Medea in both books were just coincidentally named characters.

With a large box of books in his arms, Aiden had to hand Durandal over to Hestia. And so, a silver-haired youth carrying a big box and a twin-tailed girl holding a golden sword appeared on West Street.

Of course, this duo wasn't anything out of the ordinary. After all, with a pantheon of mischief-loving deities around, the people of this otherworldly realm had seen all sorts of oddities. A big-sword-wielding girl was nothing compared to Finn, the leader of Loki Familia, who was just a shota with a spear. He was probably based on the legendary hero Finn McCool from Celtic mythology.

Along the way, Aiden also learned from Hestia about the legendary life of this predecessor... a novelist who became a household name by writing novels in this fantastical world.

Cattleya Hall, better known by her pen name Rowling, hailed from the Hall family in the Western lands. Coming from a noble lineage, Ms. Rowling received excellent education from a young age. Later in her studies, she discovered literature and joined the influential literary society, Star Society, which set her on the path of literary creation that would shape her life.

Ms. Rowling's journey as a writer was not without its hurdles. Her debut work, Jack and Ennis, depicted the taboo love between two men, which was considered too controversial for its time and was not widely accepted by society. As a result, it had poor sales and even now, in some countries, it remains banned.

___

If you're interested in reading more, feel free to visit my pa treon: 

https : // www .pat reon. com /XElenea