Kays Translations

Chapter 38: One Small Step, One Giant Leap

When the mayor arrived at the Emerald Crest Publishing House, the atmosphere inside was already charged with excitement. The book signing event of the young prodigy writer, Marlon Lister, had reached its most thrilling climax.

On the raised platform prepared specially for the occasion, the “Red-Haired Queen” of Emerald Crest, Ivna, had called for a temporary pause in Marlon’s very first autograph session. Standing tall, her voice brimming with confidence, she held a glowing Amplification Crystal, her words magnified so that every ear in the packed crowd could hear.

“Dear readers! Beloved friends of literature!” Ivna began, her tone resonant and theatrical, the kind that could stir even the calmest hearts. “To thank you all for your boundless support—support not just for our publishing house, but also for our little Marlon—we have, after a brief discussion with him, decided to hold a special lottery today! From all of you who have come here in person, thirty fortunate readers shall be chosen!”

The crowd stirred like a tide. Curious glances and murmurs spread through the sea of people, filling the air with anticipation.

Ivna raised her hand high and continued with infectious enthusiasm:

“Twenty-four of those lucky readers will each receive a Bronze Membership Card to Marlon’s official book club! With this card, you will enjoy a ten percent discount on all of our little Marlon’s future works! And in addition, you’ll also receive a deck of exquisitely crafted ‘Little Prince’ themed Marlon cards!”

“Three lucky readers,” Ivna pressed on, “will be awarded the Silver Membership Card! These readers will forever receive a twenty percent discount on Marlon’s future books, a deck of ‘Little Prince’ themed Marlon cards, and a beautifully handcrafted, pure linen short-sleeved shirt inspired by the ‘Little Prince’ himself!”

The crowd gasped collectively. Discounts and exclusive goods were rare enough in this world—such gifts were treasures in their own right.

“But that’s not all!” Ivna’s red hair gleamed under the lights as she gestured broadly. “Two fortunate souls will receive the Gold Membership Card! Holders of this card will enjoy a twenty-five percent discount, lifetime priority access to all future limited collector’s editions of Marlon Lister’s works, and, of course, the gifts of the Silver tier as well!”

A pause, dramatic and deliberate, before her voice reached its peak:

“And finally! One last reader, one single, most fortunate soul, shall be granted the Diamond Membership Card! With this, not only will you enjoy a full fifty percent discount on every future release, not only will you receive all the rewards of the Gold tier, but you will also be gifted with the numbered copy 012 of The Little Prince’s Fairy Tales for Adults—a luxurious, limited-edition collector’s set by none other than our genius, our prodigy, Marlon Lister, the Wandering Dreamer!”

Her words thundered through the air, and before she could even take a breath, the massive crowd erupted. Nearly ten thousand readers had filled Banmubuk Avenue, their sheer numbers clogging traffic and transforming the street into a sea of literary devotion.

For who among them had not come out of sheer, unshakable love for Marlon and his works? Who had not sacrificed time and money simply to glimpse him, to touch his words, to carry home a memory of this day?

For nearly a month now, Emerald Crest had released endless teasers, ensuring that Marlon’s loyal fans knew well—this young genius was not stopping at a handful of novels. His pen promised many more masterpieces.

Already the next wave of his works had been announced: The Count of Monte Cristo, Volume Two, The Royal Crest, Volume Two, The White Sands Orphan, Volume One, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, The Book of Aery– The Classic of Mountains and Seas, and even one enigmatic, unnamed book shrouded in mystery.

Yet, despite these grand promises, the only thing on the readers’ minds at this very moment was the lottery Ivna had so dramatically unveiled.

“Miss Ivna, start already!” one reader shouted impatiently, his voice carrying over the crowd.

“If I don’t get chosen, can I buy a Diamond Card directly? And will it still come with the collector’s edition?” another cried, a mix of rationality and fanaticism in his tone.

“Ah, Goddess of Fortune, bless me! May the Diamond Card be mine!” a desperate voice pleaded to the heavens.

“Mommy, I want a membership card too!” piped up a childish voice, soft and sweet, reminding everyone that Marlon’s tales of wonder had already enchanted children across the land.

The noise rose to a cacophony, dozens of voices weaving together into chaos. Ivna, faced with the storm of questions, could do nothing but smile and wave for silence.

And so, to redirect the storm of excitement, she invited Marlon himself—his hand sore from signing books, grateful for a moment’s reprieve—to stand at her side.

At the same time, assistants wheeled forward a peculiar contraption: a transparent cylinder sealed within a strange box, fitted with a metal stand. Inside the cylinder rested ten vividly colored balls, each marked with a number from 0 to 9. A cross-shaped crank with four long paddles jutted inside, ready to stir the balls at random whenever the outer lever was turned.

The sharper-eyed readers immediately understood: by spinning the crank, the machine would toss the balls about until one set of numbers tumbled free—a fair and unpredictable lottery.

“Everyone,” Ivna declared with a flourish, “please take out the bookmarks given with your books. Each one has a unique four-digit number printed upon it. Marlon will now draw twenty-four sets of four winning numbers for the Bronze prizes. If no one holds a drawn number, he will spin again until we have winners!”

The rules were simple, the crowd’s anticipation unbearable. And so, under the watchful eyes of thousands, the lottery began.

One by one, the twenty-four Bronze winners were chosen. Cheers erupted as lucky readers climbed the stage to receive their gleaming Bronze Cards and the whimsical ‘Little Prince’ Marlon cards from the towering troll receptionist stationed at the prize table.

Then Ivna, her eyes sparkling mischievously, made the next announcement:

“Now, we are honored to invite none other than the Mayor of White Sand City himself, who has graced us with his presence, to draw the Silver, Gold, and Diamond prizes!”

The crowd gasped, turning in unison. And indeed, there he was—the mayor himself, smiling warmly, his presence both stately and approachable. Having already exchanged words with Ivna during the earlier rounds, he now strode confidently onto the platform, showering the event with a few well-placed words of praise before taking the lever in hand.

The Silver Cards came first. Three lucky readers—each overjoyed beyond measure—received not only their cards but also the charming, hand-stitched linen shirts embroidered with playful ‘Little Prince’ motifs. The sight of these shirts was extraordinary in this world; aside from church vestments, no one had ever seen simple, white round-collared shirts decorated with such enchanting patterns. It was Marlon’s innovation, a small idea that carried the weight of revolution.

And so, under laughter and applause, two more winners claimed their Golden Cards: a grizzled war veteran whose weathered hands trembled as though he were a child again, and a freckled young girl who squealed with joy. Both leapt and cheered, clutching their prizes as though they had just been handed the world itself.

Finally, the moment came for the grand prize—the Diamond Membership Card.

The crank turned. The balls clattered inside the glass cylinder before tumbling out, one by one: 0… 0… 1… 2.

Number 0012.

Marlon’s brows furrowed in surprise. He knew at once what that number meant. Among all the bookmarks distributed today, 0012 belonged to the earliest set—the very first, in fact. The odds of this happening by chance were slim. Coincidence? Perhaps. Probability? More likely. Still, a strange unease prickled at the back of his mind.

But Ivna thought nothing of it. Her amplified voice rang out, jubilant:

“The final grand prize has been drawn! Bookmark number 0012, please come forward to claim your Diamond Membership Card and your collector’s edition of The Little Prince’s Fairy Tales for Adults! Congratulations!”

A hush fell over the audience as all eyes turned. Slowly, with elegance and poise, an elf man stepped forward, his every movement refined, his presence commanding.

And when Marlon’s gaze fell upon him, his heart gave a sharp jolt. His expression froze in startled recognition.

The man walking up the stage was none other than—

Nephthu–Ekramon.

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