Chapter 89: Stickers (2)

In this world, there are countless beasts.

In the past, there were nations that worshipped beasts as gods, and tales of beasts protecting villages in exchange for offerings were quite common.

The country where the remnants of folk beliefs about that beasts were most strongly preserved was none other than the Fioré Kingdom.

Even now, there are numerous temples in the Fioré Kingdom, each dedicated to different beasts as deities.

To what extent, you ask? Even in the royal palace of the Fioré Kingdom, they didn't know how many gods existed in their own country.

What started as a beast is now even being turned into a temple for historical figures.

Since it was a kingdom where such minor deities were rampant, there were also attempts to systematically organize the gods that existed in their country.

"The Fioré Mythology" is exactly that.

Like the Greek and Roman mythology from the previous world, Fioré had various stories intertwined with gods.

The Fioré mythos was the most famous story in the Fioré Kingdom, with various adaptations existing in different regions.

I guess you could say it's the best-selling novel in the Fioré Kingdom.

To me, it looked like an uncut gem.

Story, characters, and design.

Because everything was perfectly in place.

'If we make it with a sticker or card, it would sell well.'

However, the list of Fioré mythology's beasts was so vast that it was a field I found difficult to touch upon.

I needed to get help from an expert in this field.

"If you're an expert in mythology, you should call a beast scholar."

"Does anyone know?"

"Yuri, you have someone who knows."

I tilted my head at Count Trion's words.

I had never even been to the Fioré Kingdom, let alone know a beast scholar.

But.

"Dorian is from Fioré."

"Yes? Wasn't he a dwarf from the Red Hammer tribe?" 

"Being born outside the village is said to be common among dwarves."

Dorian, who remodeled our magic tower and is now working at the brewery, was from Fioré.

It was said that he was a renowned beast scholar.

'So is it true that dwarves are otakus?'

*

Following Count Trion's advice, I visited the brewery after a long time.

Beer was flowing out in torrents from the tap attached to the massive oak barrel.

"It seems like it's gotten bigger."

In front of the barrel that had somehow grown larger since my last visit, dwarves were lined up, holding their mugs.

"Ugh this is amazing, amazing."

"Move aside if you all followed!"

"Ugh..., what are you talking about? I haven't even finished half of it yet!" 

"That crazy bastard? Where in the world is there a dwarf who receives a barrel?" 

"Are you not going to move away from the oak barrel before I chop it up with an axe?!"

The dwarves, with their noses flushed bright red, were jostling each other, raising their beer mugs.

It was a scene where it was hard to tell whether this was a brewery or a dwarven tavern.

In fact, even if I did it this way, it was still a profitable venture for me.

The dwarves were getting paid in beer for all the work they did at the brewery.

There was no reason to say anything since they were doing well at work while having fun. Rather, they should be given a bonus.

"Please place three pieces of each type of chicken on each table."

"Understood."

On the large table set up in the factory's spacious grounds, the employees of Trion's upper management laid out beer and chicken.

Garlic soy sauce chicken, seasoned chicken, fried chicken, and Guinness stout were placed on every table.

Clap clap─!

"Everyone, come over and have some chicken."

At the mention of chicken, the dwarves who had been bickering over the barrel rushed out.

"Whoa! Chicken!"

"Hehe, as expected, it's Yuri!"

The dwarves hurriedly took their seats at the banquet set up on the grounds.

While the dwarves were having a heavy drinking session from the early afternoon, I met with Dorian and had a conversation.

"What's the occasion for coming all the way here?"

"I heard that you know a lot about beasts, so I came to see you."

"...Beasts?"

In an instant, Dorian's eyes sparkled like a child's.

"Well, I know it well. There are no beasts on this continent that I don't know about."

"Then you must know a lot about the Fioré mythos as well."

"Of course. Some of them were written by me."

"...."

It was the original author himself.

I was trying to find an expert, and the original creator appeared before my eyes.

"Did it go well?"

I told Dorian the reason I came to see him.

After hearing the entire story, Dorian tilted his head.

"So, you mean to say, you want me to create a 'compendium of beasts' from the Fioré Mythology?"

"Yes."

"Why are you making a compendium for beings whose existence is even uncertain?"

"I'm going to put it in the bread."

"Bread?"

"Yes. So, we need the encyclopedia."

Dorian's eyes filled with skepticism at my answer.

*

The reason why Pokémon bread was popular in the previous world was because it evoked the 'memories' embedded in the Pokémon medium.

Adults empathized with the topic as it evoked nostalgia from their childhood, while the younger generation joined the trend because they could profit by selling the stickers from Pokémon bread.

Regardless of the generation, everyone started hoarding Pokémon bread to collect the stickers.

The Fioré Kingdom was in the same situation.

To the citizens of the Fioré Kingdom, the Fioré Mythos was a fairy tale, a dream, and a culture told by adults during their childhood.

They say that those who went to meet the mythical beasts and ended up disappearing while playing a real-life version of Pokémon Go are all in the same boat.

The citizens of the Fioré Kingdom were so interested in "beasts" that just one Wyvern Chicken could disrupt the national sentiment.

'So, the compendium of beasts is essential.'

You need to let people know what kind of beast is hidden in inside the bread and how many are released in total for them to take an interest.

In fact, since only a limited quantity of 'Mewtwo' and 'Mew' from Pokémon bread were released, collectors even engaged in hoarding to find them.

I gathered the beast scholars of the Fioré Kingdom, including Dorian, to create the "Complete Beasts Compendium."

Waiting like that for a month.

"It's complete! A total of 1,036 types of beasts have been recorded in the encyclopedia."

Bang!

Dorian brought a thick encyclopedia and placed it on the table.

It was a hardcover book with an artistically embossed 'Ice Dragon' on the cover.

"There are quite a lot of beasts."

"Among them, 568 species are either uncertain if they exist or are already extinct."

I skimmed through the encyclopedia while listening to Dorian's explanation.

Indeed, it was worth inviting the experts; the characteristics and appearances were clearly documented.

While I was watching the demon's lair, I noticed something strange and tilted my head in confusion.

"There are also nameless beasts."

"They either couldn't be named because different regions have different names or they have gone extinct."

"I see."

I nodded and looked at the encyclopedia.

In the place where a massive ice dragon adorned a page, there was only a simple and unremarkable phrase, "Ice Dragon," written.

There was even a page that only had the words 'King of the Vampires' written on it, without any illustrations.

Besides that, there were other bizarre things that were too grotesque to look at.

"I can't use it like this."

It's not great.

In a word, it lacked 'style.'

A Ice Dragon, Phoenix, the Vampire King?

A major revision seemed inevitable.

*

The Fioré mythology boasts an extensive story.

The citizens of the kingdom usually only knew a few famous beasts from the myths.

It was an old tale, and since it was uncertain whether it even existed, it didn't attract much attention.

Then one day a book titled was released in the Fioré Kingdom.

The absence of a compendium for the Fioré Myth was unusual, but it drew immense interest from the kingdom's citizens.

And rightly so.

==

[Blue-Eyed Ice Dragon Iberkina (Light) ★★★★★]

The Ice Dragon that freezes everything.

It is said to be an ancient dragon that has lived for more than 6,000 years and possesses the ability to freeze the world.

Habitat – Permafrost Tundra Mountain Range

==

==

[ Vampire Lord (Dark) ★★★★ ]

A Trueborn that inherits the bloodline of the primogenitor.

It is a being that governs the darkness and rules over all the blood of the world.

─Engaged in the dairy business and can be seen in the Empire.

Claims to be from the Abyss, but it is impossible to verify the fact.

Habitat – Eastern Whiston Province of the Empire

"The Ice Dragon from the myth was Lord Iberkina...!"

"Just as I thought! Vampires were beings that lived among people…!" 

Unlike the vague stories in mythology, the beasts listed in the compendium were known entities that were said to be 'present.'

Even the names and pictures were convincing.

As the mythos was given a sense of realism, the kingdom's people began to recall their childhood memories, and their childlike hearts started to blossom.

The Beast Compendium has generated immense buzz, regardless of its authenticity.

The fact that they identified mythical beings in reality and that it is the first mythological compendium were intriguing elements.

Above all, it was 'free.'

Since it was a book that could be read for free, most of the kingdom's citizens either visited or read the book.

Until this point, the kingdom's citizens thought that the Fioré Bestiary was just a book to read for entertainment.

Of course, there were strange points.

"What is this? There said to be only four Lord Iberkina in the world?" 

"Isn't Lord Iberkina a single person?"

"Eight Flame King Dragons?"

"What are you talking about?"

The citizens of the kingdom tilted their heads in confusion at the incomprehensible explanation.

They would come to understand the meaning of this a month after the Fioré Beast Compendium was released in the kingdom.

[ Beast Bread Release…! Meet the beasts you saw in the Fioré Beast Compendium through Beast Bread! ]

A new bread called Beast Bread has been launched in the kingdom.

It was an ordinary piece of bread, but people were shocked when they saw it.

"Dad, there's a beast inside the bread!"

"Then this quantity means...!"

The moment when people finally realize the meaning of the Beast Compendium and their eyes widen in astonishment.

"Flame King Dragon! It's the Flame King Dragon-!"

The elderly priest, who had been tearing the bread, shouted with a face full of ecstasy.

Everyone's heads turned towards the priest.

"!!"

In the priest's raised hand, the dazzling Flame King Dragon sticker was sparkling in the sunlight.

"Then..."

"Are you saying that there are only seven Flame King Dragon left?"

"Owner! Beast bread, please! Hurry!"

It was the moment when the hoarding of Beast Bread began in the Fioré Kingdom.

***

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