Side Story 17. [After Story] Meeting of the Racial Representatives
Imperial Year 662.
Ten years after the final battle against the monsters.
Southern Empire. Crossroad.
[Congratulations☆ 2nd Meeting of the Racial Representatives!]
“…”
Kellibey, the Dwarf adorned with a golden crown, narrowed his eyes as he looked at the fluttering banner hanging at the North Gate of Crossroad.
“What’s wrong, Kellibey?”
At that moment, a white deer approached Kellibey’s golden carriage.
Riding atop the deer was Verdandi, the Elf wearing a green laurel crown, who tilted her head curiously.
“Is something the matter?”
“Well, it’s not exactly a problem, but…”
Kellibey muttered with a sour expression.
“This is our second meeting? When exactly was the first one?”
“Wasn’t it a few years ago when we got together for a casual drinking session? Maybe that was the first one?”
Verdandi ended her sentence with a questioning tone. She, too, was clueless about the situation.
“And was our gathering ever such a big deal? Wasn’t it just supposed to be a meal?”
“That’s what Ash said, wasn’t it?”
“Then why… is it…”
Kellibey pointed under the banner with his hand.
“…being treated with such pomp and grandeur?”
At the North Gate where the banner was displayed, soldiers of Crossroad were lined up in an orderly formation.
As the two monarchs approached with visible discomfort, the soldiers shouted in loud, reverberating voices.
“We welcome the master of the Golden Forge, the greatest blacksmith in the world! The King of the Dwarves visits Crossroad!”
“We welcome the Daughter of the World Tree, the Slayer of the Evil Dragon! The Queen of the Elves visits Crossroad!”
Following the soldiers’ declaration, the citizens and tourists of Crossroad erupted into cheers.
“Waaaahhhh!”
“…”
“…”
Why did the embarrassment have to be ours?
The Dwarf and the Elf instinctively covered their faces with their hands, awkwardly making their entrance.
“Why are there so many tourists?! Are we some kind of spectacle?!”
“No, I think they are using us as a spectacle. Look, someone’s up on that tower with binoculars, staring at us!”
At the North Gate, Evangeline Cross, the lord of Crossroad, stood with arms wide open, clad in a splendid ceremonial outfit, welcoming the two monarchs.
“Welcome, welcome! Thank you for enduring the long journey, representatives of your respective races!”
Kellibey shrieked.
“Why are you making such a big deal out of this without even being asked?! This is so overwhelming!”
As she approached the two, Evangeline smiled wickedly.
“Because making a fuss raises the prestige of Crossroad when you two visit!”
The representatives of each race gathered in one place!
And in none other than Crossroad!
This alone was a grand event. Evangeline had immediately decided to capitalize on this meeting.
As a tourist attraction!
And so, she spread the news of the monarchs’ visit far and wide, arranging for the city’s tourists to witness the grand welcome.
Verdandi shook her head in disbelief.
“You’re still as cunning as ever, Evangeline.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. Mwahaha!”
Evangeline laughed heartily, while Kellibey ground his teeth in frustration.
“We should’ve met somewhere else instead of Crossroad…”
Verdandi let out a resigned laugh.
“Where, though? If not Crossroad, then where?”
“…Yeah, you’re right. Damn it.”
Crossroad was still practically the only city where people of all races could gather freely without distrust.
As they sighed and entered the city, tourists swarmed around them, chanting the monarchs’ names.
“Kellibey! Kellibey! Kellibey!”
“Verdandi! Verdandi! Verdandi!”
“…”
“…”
Feeling even more embarrassed, the two monarchs fully covered their faces with their hands as they made their way inside.
Their humiliation as tourist attractions was short-lived, however, as their expressions soon shifted to surprise as they glanced around.
“Crossroad… has changed a lot.”
“The streets are so much brighter, and there are way more tourists now.”
The streets, once filled with forges, mana stone factories, and the smell of gunpowder and iron, had transformed significantly.
The scent of flowers and fruits wafted through the air, and restaurants, hotels, and souvenir shops had sprung up like mushrooms after the rain.
Of course, the sturdy walls and military barracks still remained, preserving the city’s identity as a fortress town…
But now, it was brimming with the lively atmosphere unique to a tourist city.
“Ah, we did some marketing based on Senior’s advice…”
Evangeline explained sheepishly.
“And it was a massive hit.”
Five years ago, Ash and Serenade had proposed the idea of promoting Crossroad as a tourist destination.
The first action they took was—hanging advertisements on the exterior walls of buildings in New Terra’s central plaza.
At the time, no advertisements were displayed in New Terra’s central plaza—not even a single banner.
The most advanced advertising methods on the continent were newspapers, magazines, and posters pasted on walls. The idea of turning an entire building exterior into an advertisement was utterly unprecedented.
And they signed a contract for 100 years!
Both the concept and the duration of the contract were unheard of.
The owner of the clock tower was baffled by such an absurd proposal, but upon seeing the immense sum offered to secure the advertising rights, they readily agreed.
To them, it was free money for a market that had never even existed before.
All of this was carried out by Ash and Serenade, who went ahead with the plan and only informed Evangeline afterward.
When Evangeline saw the astronomical cost of the project, she was aghast, but Serenade considered it a reasonable price, while Ash argued it was ridiculously cheap.
— People in this fantasy world don’t understand the power of advertising! Hey! If you can slap a Crossroad tourism ad on this magnificent clock tower for 100 years, this price is practically a steal! A steal!
— You’re going to thank me later! Not just you—your descendants and their descendants will thank me too! Stop arguing and just buy it!
And so.
A groundbreaking, colossal banner advertisement was draped over the exterior of the clock tower in New Terra’s central plaza.
The format of the banner was unprecedented as well. Traditional advertisements focused on detailed descriptions of a product, accompanied by a small illustration.
In contrast, Crossroad’s wall advertisement turned the enormous banner into a canvas, filling it with vibrant, colorful illustrations.
The image depicted a happy family—a couple and two children (later revealed to be modeled after the family of Evangeline Cross, the Lord of Crossroad)—dressed in light southern attire, holding hands, and strolling across a lush green field beneath a bright blue sky.
The illustration was accompanied by a single line of text:
[Let’s Go to Crossroad.]
This advertisement sparked an unprecedented sensation.
The simple yet catchy slogan, the dazzling illustration, and the clear, direct message.
The bold advertisement on New Terra’s central clock tower instantly became the talk of the continent. People from other cities even traveled to New Terra just to see it.
Even those who didn’t want to see it had no choice. Every time they looked up to check the time on the clock tower, the enormous banner flapped in the wind, demanding attention.
That year, the most popular outfit in New Terra was the clothing worn by the family in the illustration, and the most popular phrase was the slogan:
“Let’s Go to Crossroad!”
But that wasn’t the end of it.
While the wall advertisement was making waves, Ash gave a brief interview to The New Terra Times, the largest newspaper in the city.
The interview was supposed to be a formal discussion about his aspirations as Crown Prince and his future plans, but what truly caught attention was the Q&A at the end.
Q. The Crossroad advertisement is a hot topic right now. As someone who ruled Crossroad for three years, do you have any comments?
A. It’s not just a city I governed; it’s also where my wife and I went for our honeymoon. It’s the warmest city in the Empire, and it’s convenient for visiting exotic southern countries like the Lake Kingdom. I highly recommend it as a honeymoon destination.
Above all, the fruits are absolutely delicious. Crossroad’s fruits are on a completely different level compared to anywhere else. If you consider yourself a fruit lover, you’ll know as soon as you take a bite. Be sure to try them out.
This was the historic moment when the Everblack Empire witnessed its first viral marketing campaign.
The honeymoon destination of the Crown Prince and Princess. A place with fruits of an entirely different caliber.
Let’s Go to Crossroad!
That summer, everyone in New Terra dressed in light southern attire and flocked to the southern regions for vacation. The roads were packed with endless lines of travelers heading south.
And when they returned, they shared their experiences with others.
— Hey, Crossroad’s fruits… they’re different.
— Really? How are they different?
— They’re just different, you idiot! Go and try them yourself!
Everyone said the same thing.
The fruits were different. Absolutely different.
But they couldn’t explain it in words.
If you hadn’t tried Crossroad’s fruits, you couldn’t claim to have truly tasted fruit at all!
In no time, New Terra society divided into two camps: those who hadn’t tried Crossroad’s fruits (fruit ignoramuses) and those who had (fruit connoisseurs). Those who had tasted them flaunted their Crossroad fruit pride, while those who hadn’t were looked down upon in social circles as uncultured and out of touch with trends.
Whether out of a desire to keep up with the trends, genuine culinary curiosity, or simple interest in Crossroad itself…
The snowball effect began to grow.
Crossroad hosted a grand autumn festival and an even grander winter New Year’s festival!
But it also promoted the fresh, cool weather of spring and the sun-kissed fruits of summer.
Marketing campaigns tailored to each season were launched, and the clock tower’s banner advertisement was updated accordingly.
From vacations to honeymoons, family trips to retirement retreats… Crossroad catered to all kinds of travelers.
By the end of the first year of advertising, Ash clenched his trembling fist and declared:
— Finally… I’ve wreaked havoc in a way befitting an isekai protagonist.
Evangeline had no idea what he meant by that, but thanks to this innovative marketing campaign, Crossroad was overwhelmed with joyful success.
Five years passed like a whirlwind.
In the southernmost region of the continent, Crossroad was rapidly cementing its identity as a booming tourist city.
“So that’s what happened… That’s how things changed so much…”
Verdandi marveled after hearing the story.
Evangeline awkwardly scratched the back of her head.
“We started by focusing on marketing in New Terra, and the results were this good. Gradually, we’re planning to expand the campaign across the entire continent… But, well, flashy ads alone won’t cut it. A tourist city needs solid attractions to back it up. I’ve been working hard to develop new entertainment spots and tourist landmarks…”
Looking around at the bustling city, Kellibey spoke in a nostalgic tone.
“Crossroad is truly alive and thriving.”
At this, Evangeline raised her eyebrows with a sly grin.
“All thanks to you royal monarchs, of course! Without your help in protecting this city and the world, none of this would have been possible, would it?”
“Your words sound nice, but saying that after using us as eye candy makes your sincerity a bit questionable!”
“Mm-hahaha. In exchange, I’ll make sure to treat you very well this time, so let’s call it even.”
The two monarchs were then escorted to the lord’s mansion.
“So, where’s that Ash brat who called us here? And the rest of the racial representatives?”
“Hannibal, attending as the representative of the Half-Bloods, arrived first. The others have sent word that they’ll be here by today or, at the latest, tomorrow.”
“Oh! My student is already here, huh? Of course. Just as I taught him, he’s strict about managing his ti—”
Kellibey trailed off mid-sentence.
As the doors to the mansion opened, the sight that greeted them inside was… horrifying.
Lying sprawled out on the floor, looking utterly defeated, was none other than Hannibal.
The leader of the Half-Blood faction, Hannibal, had matured into a proper young man. He still had a slightly petite build, and his cheeks retained a hint of baby fat, giving him a charming, boyish appearance.
And yet, here he was, lying flat on the corridor floor, completely motionless.
“HANNIBAL?!”
Kellibey, startled out of his wits, ran over to check on him.
“Pull yourself together, Hannibal! What on earth happened to you?!”
“Ugh… Uuugh… Master…”
“I told you, you can start calling me ‘Teacher’ now! Never mind that—who did this to you?!”
“Be… careful… Those guys… they’re… too scary…”
“Those guys?! Who are you talking about?!”
It was then.
Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap!
The sound of light, rapid footsteps echoed from deeper within the corridor. Kellibey’s head snapped toward the source of the noise.
Some vicious, heinous monster must have done this to Hannibal—what kind of fiend was lurking here?!
“…?”
However.
When Kellibey focused on the corridor, he saw… no one.
No matter how hard he squinted, there was no trace of anyone there.
But he was sure of it. He had definitely heard something…
“Huh?!”
Only then did Kellibey notice them.
Down the long corridor leading further into the mansion, clinging to the walls on either side, were two tiny figures with mischievous grins plastered across their faces.
The two five-year-olds, Emerald Cross and Sapphire Cross.
THUD!
As soon as Kellibey locked eyes with them, the twins simultaneously kicked off the walls they were climbing.
The two launched themselves at Kellibey like arrows, their movements sharp and precise.
“AAAAAARGH!”
Kellibey screamed.
“IT’S A FLYING KIDS ATTACK!”
–TL Notes–
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