Chapter 222: One Star (3)
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
“I ca to write ‘Language of God’ when I was given a piece of advice by another author. Without a delay, I rushed to the beach and ca up with the story.”
Standing behind the podium, Coin read the speech written by Yun Woo in a dry, soulless tone. However, every mber of the audience listened intently to what the young author had to say. While the cara flashed sporadically, and the shutters sounded off, others raised their phones to take pictures. No matter how the audience was capturing the mont, they were all witnessing the birth of the youngest winner in the history of the award.
“In my novel, the process of downfall, decline, and birth repeat itself over and over again. Although a child started to learn a language after it was born, the nation falls, and that language, too, vanishes. The era of endless war eventually beca the past, and the Golden Age of the Great Empire is passed down only as mythology. The person they believed to be God had a re lifespan of three hundred years, and the hope the companions thought would last forever, dwindled away along their journey.”
The authors sitting at the round tables looked up at Coin on stage, and a handful of them nodded in agreent.
“But, it’s not over just yet. There are things that are yet to co to an end. The pain of war, the glory of the mythology, and the magnificence of God, to na a few. The people are swayed by the things that are coming to an end. All in all, what I’ve been aning to say is that nothing lasts forever, and the end is coming, no matter what. After that, sothing slightly better will co around,” Coin read from the piece of paper in his hand while getting a better grip of the clear, rectangular trophy.
“I would like to thank each and every person who had an influence on while writing the novel. Including Kelley Coin, of course.”
At the ntion of his na, the audience exploded into laughter and applause, so even cheering out loud. The excitent in the air made Coin all the more displeased. Then, as he crumpled up the paper and shoved it back into his pocket, the cheers grew even louder, as if indicating the end of the speech. Coin looked down at the audience from the stage, and seeing as though the infamous author wasn’t about to co down from the stage anyti soon, the cheer eventually died down. Then, with his hand still in his pocket, he said, “As a representative, I’d like to add a few things as well. To be clear, I’m not happy for Yun Woo, at all.”
At the author’s sudden remark, the atmosphere changed. After Yun Woo, who was like serene water, Kelley Coin, whose fire burned fiercely, appeared. He saw Isabella in the distance, looking at him with piercing eyes as if looking at a troublemaker. Next to her, was Nabi with her mouth still parted open from the speech.
“Aside from my own writing winning an award, I take no joy in the happiness of others. Now, I can see that clearly thanks to Yun Woo. I think I’ll go ho and write as soon as I hand this hefty thing over to him,” Coin said with a perverse attitude. The trophy in his hand waving left and right showed just how irritated he was.
“For those who couldn’t understand the ssage Yun Woo was trying to convey through his novel, I’d like to sacrifice my precious ti to offer you an explanation. Of course, I’m talking about those of you I’m about to offend.”
At the infamous author’s remark, the expression on the executive director’s face grew darker.
“In this world, there exist nurous languages, and we live in an age where we can feel just how many languages there are in this planet. At the sa ti, we also live in an age where we can communicate with those who speak completely different languages. Through his novel, Yun Woo unveiled the roots of the different languages that exist on Earth, and today, that very novel has won the Nebula Award.”
The transparent trophy shone brightly under the spotlight.
“Novels that include only Caucasian characters have beco unbearably boring. Tis have changed, and a great storyteller is always sensitive to change. Unfortunately, this realization ca way too late to the judges here, who are responsible for judging so of the greatest stories in existence.”
As the room grew silent, Coin stepped down from the stage. However, it was at that very mont that the audience exploded into the loudest cheers and applause of that day.
—
“I think I’ve had just about enough with the pictures.”
Juho watched Kelley Coin holding his trophy, looking as irritated as ever, in the video playing on his monitor. It was a recording of the award ceremony, uploaded on the World Science Fiction Society’s website. So of the most widely-recognized authors at the ceremony were in it, and Coin was being interviewed at his table, after the award had been given out and the ceremony had co to an end. Although it wasn’t clear as to what had happened, people were chanting the na of the winner in the screenwriting category. At that mont, the picture of Coin standing alongside the winners of that year while holding the transparent trophy in his hands appeared.
“What did Yun Woo have to say about all this?” a reporter wearing a lanyard asked, bringing a mic up to the author’s mouth. The irritable look on Coin’s face didn’t hold much power amid the excitent surrounding him.
“He told that he didn’t give a damn about the award. Whether it’s one of the four major, internationally-recognized literary awards or not.”
Juho had no recollection of making a statent like that, and the flustered look on the reporter’s face was no different from the one on his face.
“Wow, is that true?”
“It sure is. You’d like to know more about Yun Woo, don’t you? Then bring the questions to . I’m a three-eyed, six-eared, and eight-ard beast.”
The reporter laughed Coin’s incredibly sarcastic remark off, and by contrast, Coin’s expression grew even more irritable.
“Now, I’d like to ask YOU so questions. You’ve won that trophy four tis thus far, and the one in your hand would make it your fifth. I can only guess how much it ans to you. What does it feel like to receive that award on behalf of another author?”
“Uh-oh.”
A chanical beep censored the words that ca out of Coin’s mouth, and Juho felt a burning curiosity for what he might have said. Despite the profanity, the reporter didn’t let up.
“All right, one last question. Yun Woo has beco one of the most widely-recognized authors in the world by winning this award, and fans are growing wild across the globe. Yun Woo might be young, but there’s never been an author like him. The appearance of Yun Woo is, simply said, an anomaly in the literary world. What’s your perspective on his achievent?”
At that, Coin answered while wearing the sa look on his face, “Who cares? Each author is unique to themselves, and it’s always been that way. I told you earlier, this ceremony ans jack to him. It’s probably sothing to write about in his next novel, at best.”
“Next novel, as in?”
“Unless it’s my ear or your tongue that’s not functioning properly, I believe you already asked your last question. Now, if you’ll excuse , I’d like to go back to my room.”
Then, the edited clip transitioned to another winner sitting on a velvet chair with a trophy in her hands. Having won the award for the short story category, she had a green one-piece dress on and was well-advanced in her age.
Juho leaned back on his chair’s backrest and rolled his eyes to the right. The sa trophy in the clip was shining brightly on a stack of manuscript paper. It had been delivered to him by Nabi, who had been ecstatic when she handed the trophy over to him. However, she had struggled to hide the bitterness she had felt when talking about Coin. She had let out a heavy sigh, saying the infamous author nearly tossed the trophy at her when he was handing it over.
Under the base of the clear, rectangular trophy, there was a golden plate with an English word engraved on it, which made a dull sound upon flicking it. According to the engraving, the trophy was the work of a renowned designer. Then, Juho tried picking up the trophy. It was slightly heavy. Although it was a small trophy, the sales of ‘Language of God’ had multiplied to a figure incomparable to that of the past, and after winning the award, Juho realized just how different a nomination and winning were. The stark difference was engraved into Yun Woo’s mind, never to be forgotten. The first Asian, Korean, and the youngest winner.
“Haha,” Juho let out, tossing the trophy on top of his bed. Then, after looking up at the ceiling briefly, he reached for the manuscript papers next to him, all the while wearing a faint smile.
—
“The First Asian Winner of The Nebula Award! Yun Woo Beats the Record of the Previous Youngest Winner! The Korean Hero!”
“A Dream Co True! Korea’s National Writer, Yun Woo, the First Asian Winner of the Nebula Award! The Sales of His Previous Books Skyrocket! Publishers Celebrate.”
“The Book-District Cos Alive with Yun Woo’s Recent Award. The Globalization of the Korean Novel. How Did It Start?”
“Publishing Agent, the New Hottest Job? The Key Component in Exportation!”
“The Joy of This Generation! Yun Woo Delivers Hope.”
“The Result That Left the Globe in Shock! How Did the Nineteen-Year-Old Genius Author Co About? The Globe Focuses on Korean Novels.”
“Kelley Coin’s Sensational Speech at the Nebula Award Ceremony! A Closer Look.”
“The Poll Results Are In! Kelley Coin, the Most Popular Author Overseas, Growing in Popularity Along with Yun Woo! A Closer Look at His Incredible Mischief. A Character That Would Never Co Out of Korea!”
“The New Wave of Private Writing Institutes. Parents in Search of Second Yun Woo. Our Future Generations Learning the Joy of Literature!”
“The Proud Teenager of Korea, Yun Woo. Who Else Is There? Sports Stars, Idols.”
“Yun Woo Eradicates All Doubt. The Preconceived Notions Surrounding the Young Author. Yun Woo’s Grief Blown Away at Once by the Nebula Award! One Step Closer to Achieving the Double Crown.”
“Let Him Be Known to the Rest of the World. His Astonishing Works!”
—
“I’m so proud of him. He’s achieved a miracle.”
“I wouldn’t have imagined in my dreams that a Korean author would win the Nebula Award.”
“My palms were all sweaty when they were announcing the winner. Proud of you, man!”
“What makes Yun Woo so incredible is that ‘Language of God’ was published under another na. Yet, it beca a bestseller, and now, the Nebula Award. That’s just insane.”
“No wonder I was so desperate to learn the languages in ‘Language of God.’ It’s seriously the best. Centering the book around languages was a stroke up genius. It only makes sense how elaborate the world is.”
“Nebula? THE, Nebula!? Yun Woo won the Nebula!? This is a miracle.”
“The dia overseas are going crazy right now. Everyone’s desperate to hear from him. Well, he’s hanging just as loose as ever. Did I ntion that the publisher’s website is down again?”
“Wow, ‘Language of God’ is ranked number one in online bookstores across the globe. Do you know what that ans? It ans his books are selling the most out of all the books that were ever translated. I’d never seen a Korean Novel get so popular.”
“Did you guys hear Yun Woo’s speech? I an, it was delivered by Kelley Coin, but wow, did it move to tears. Those sentences were just exuding confidence. Guess that’s the kind of author it takes to send Kelley Coin to fetch his internationally-recognized award for him.”
“It was insane how Kelley Coin was at the ceremony on Yun Woo’s behalf. I an, everyone here knows what kind of person he is, right? He’s sobody who wouldn’t even go to his own ceremonies. Now, that’s just crazy.”
“The reason the Nebula Award is so widely recognized is that it’s judged by professionals. That only goes to show how great of a book ‘Language of God’ is, superseding all the major weaknesses of the author, like his age and nationality.”
“He’s a genius, all right. The kind that turns up maybe every three hundred years.”
“But I’m sure there are still people doubting his identity. I an, he’s just too good at what he does.”
“People are starting to predict that Yun Woo will be nominated for another major literary award, the Hugo Award. It’s based heavily on the opinions of the fans, so popularity is one of the major aspects that determine the winner.”
“Double Crown! Let’s go!”
“Man, why am I the one getting all nervous?”
“This guys is insanely popular. He’s exploding in Japan too, apparently. I saw it on TV, and people ca all the way to Korea just to find him. Of course, they ended up going ho empty-handed, with just footage of the streets.”
“Has anyone heard him being called the reincarnated version of Shakespeare in other countries? I asked myself the sa question.”
“That’s understandable. I was seriously confused as to who he was after I read ‘Sublimation.’”
“‘Sublimation’ is legit!”
“I wonder how that book would do overseas though. From what I hear, it hasn’t been exported, yet.”
“I heard Fernand’s on it, already.”
“Well, there it is. I’m marathoning through the entire ‘Language of God’ series.”
“Already on it.”
“Already done it.”
“Politics, military, villages, families, weddings, funerals, the different food, clothing, and housing culture in different regions, general culture, books, language, hunting, entertainnt, sports, mythology, history, tribes, nations, climate, seasons, the solar terms, the geological formation process, the education level of the intellectuals, welfare, economy, and the list goes on and on. It has it all. The more you dig in, the more you find.”
“Personally, the language God uses was my favorite of all. In the offshoot volu, the author says that it has its roots in Hangul.”
“Oh, man! I think that’s making drunk.”
“Hooray for King Sejong!”
“With all nations in the novel aside, Yun Woo is just an incredible specin. I can’t imagine how much work he put into writing this massive, epic series that is ‘Language of God.’ It had to have taken more than just genius to accomplish that.”
“He’s the best.”
“...”
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