I am a literary giant in Japan

Having said that, Sher stopped advising Kitagawa Hide to postpone the publication of "July 22nd".

If, in order to secure the Nobel Prize in Literature, one is required to suppress his creative desires, then that would be to make Kitagawa Hide go against his wise saying, "The ladder of human progress is literary works, not literary awards."

The lifetime judges, who had already adopted Kitagawa Hide's words as their new life motto, would certainly not allow Kitagawa Hide to do something so outrageous.

After both sides reached an agreement on the matter, the topic quickly returned to Alyosha's autobiographical trilogy.

A group of elderly people were really curious to know what "My Apprenticeship" and "My Universities" would be about, whether they would delve deeper into the social realities of Tsarist Russia in the 1770s and 1780s based on "Childhood," and whether they would make further breakthroughs and progress in the high quality of "Childhood."

Kitagawa Hide had previously mentioned his field research and experiences, but after that insightful remark, the elderly people's perception of him improved considerably. They felt that his two subsequent works were definitely worth looking forward to, and they instantly became interested in learning more about him.

Kitagawa Hide didn't spoil the fun either. Without going into the specific plot or core content, he tried his best to break down the last two parts of the trilogy and tell them to the elderly.

"From the towns of Nizhny Novgorod to the city, and then from this chaotic metropolis to Kazan, the cultural and technological center of Tsarist Russia, Alyosha gradually grew from a three-year-old child into an ambitious young man in his twenties."
"Childhood," "My Apprenticeship," and "My Universities" not only foreshadow the protagonist's changing age but also hint at his social experiences and future life.

This is truly an indescribable masterpiece of creative technique!

It seems I haven't seen a similar series before Alyosha's autobiographical trilogy.

The elderly Kjell is a living fossil of the Swedish Academy.

During his writing career, he wrote many short stories and novellas that shocked the world literary scene. Later, in the twilight of his career, he wrote a novel that won the British Booker Prize. It can be said that he achieved a grand slam in literary genres that everyone envies.

Sher's only regret was that he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature multiple times, but repeatedly missed out on it.

Whether as an author or a judge, he never doubted the impartiality of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

During his years as chairman of the Nobel Prize committee, he also worked hard to promote a fair and just environment for awarding the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Unfortunately, many things are beyond his control.

In order to maintain his keen judgment and acceptance of contemporary literature, Sher has never stopped reading and appreciating contemporary literary works.

He said he had never seen a similar creative technique appear in any series of works, and that the autobiographical trilogy of Alyosha written by Kitagawa Hide was the pioneer of this technique!

Knut and Göran Malmqvist exchanged a glance, both agreeing that Sher's words could be included in Kitagawa Hide's award citation in the future.

After expressing his respect and admiration for Kitagawa Hide, Schell once again asked whether it was possible to have Alyosha's autobiographical trilogy published by a publishing house under the Swedish Academy.

Like Göran Malmqvist, almost every lifetime judge owns their own publishing house and entertainment company. They promote writers they admire to participate in the selection process, hoping to boost the sales of their physical books.

The prosperity of the world is for profit; the hustle and bustle of the world is for profit.

Even these top literary figures are not immune to the allure of profit.

This is also why the Arnault Club was able to attract many of the world's top writers.

As long as enough money is paid, what a writer ultimately writes is entirely up to the person who pays.

However, Shel is a little different.

Approaching eighty, he had long since lost his desire for material things. He was not short of money, and his family was a prominent and wealthy family in Stockholm.

What he cared about most during his lifetime was the School of Arts where he had worked for decades.

Following the Arnault scandal, the reputation of the Swedish Academy and the Nobel Prize in Literature plummeted, and the Swedish Academy, once hailed as the "world's academy" by countless book lovers and literary figures, lost all credibility.

Sher could not tolerate these things happening during his term, and he could not accept that he would become the most disliked chairman in the history of the Nobel Prize in Literature committee.

Now even the motto stone tablet at the entrance of the college has been moved by people from Stockholm University!

During yesterday's open lecture, Pete Dimon's irrational questioning and his well-known leftist tendencies once again drew criticism to the Swedish Academy.

If this continues, the academy will become a dilapidated place that no one cares about.

He must restore the glory of the Swedish Academy.

How can the Swedish Academy, which has already lost its reputation, be given a second spring?

The most effective solution that Sher could think of was to have all of his novels published by the academy that had previously been at odds with the Kitagawa faction.

Despite pressure from the government and various Western sectors, the academy is trying to regain its reputation and credibility by selling Kitagawa Hide's novels.

Since the Norwegian and Swedish governments publicly lifted the ban on Hide Kitagawa's novels, many local publishers have applied to Kawade Shobo and Kitagawa Bunyu for collaboration.

However, Shizuko Kawade had previously made a strong statement, publicly saying that "Bungei" would never be published or distributed in Sweden or other countries.

Those who work in the literary world value integrity above all else. If Shizuko Kawade goes back on her word, doing one thing today and another tomorrow, then the reputation of "Bungei" magazine and Kawade Shobo will soon suffer a Waterloo-like decline.

Shizuko Kawade knew that she had shot herself in the foot this time, but she could only swallow the bitter pill for the time being and ignore these cooperation applications.

The situation is similar with Kitagawa Entertainment. Kitagawa Shu is the primary target. Kitagawa Entertainment is his core business. If someone were to offer an apology or an olive branch and you accepted it, readers in the Japanese literary market would consider you spineless.

A good reputation and good name are the foundation of everything.

This has resulted in the delay in the publication of all of Kitagawa Hide's novels in Norway and Sweden.

In contrast, companies involved in illegal smuggling and the black market don't have as many industry baggage.

They joined forces with Japanese pirates to pirate all of Kitagawa Hide's novels both online and offline, snatching this lucrative prize right from the Swedish Academy!

When the old issue was brought up again, Kitagawa Hide didn't directly refuse with a dark face this time. Instead, he pondered for a moment, looked at Ma Yue Ran who was also full of expectation, and turned to Xie Er and said, "The copyright of some of my novels is still held by Kawade Shobo, so I can't make a decision on this."

As for the books I personally hold, I'm willing to allow you to publish them exclusively if the Swedish Academy agrees to the following conditions.

He deliberately emphasized the word "exclusive," which made Sheldon's eyes light up, and he quickly asked, "What are your requirements, Professor Kitagawa?"

"Dean, you can just call me Beichuan. I don't deserve the title of teacher."

Kitagawa Hide first waved his hand, sternly refusing the respectful title of "teacher" bestowed upon him by the senior colleague, Sher.

Any one of the big shots here is a top-tier writer who was far beyond the reach of Kitagawa Hide in his previous life.

Even though he has climbed to his current position step by step through plagiarism in this life, in terms of actual literary creation ability and status in the literary world, he is still far behind these big shots and is truly unworthy of their so-called "Teacher Kitagawa".

After saying that, he then mentioned his requirements: "First, I have exclusively authorized the Swedish Academy, and I also hope that the Swedish Academy will not outsource to other publishing houses and printing plants;
Secondly, I need the best printing technology and physical book production, including the novel's cover and illustrations, which should be done by the best illustrators in Sweden.

The samples made must be sent to me first, and only after I approve them can they be printed and sold in large quantities.

I hope you can understand this. My novels have been reprinted many times, but I have always maintained a meticulous attitude towards the quality of the physical books, and I will never publish a perfunctory version. Third, I can only grant the Academy of Literature a publishing right for about 10 years, but the price is not low, which may make you feel that you have paid for a 30-50 year copyright but only bought a 10-year copyright.

Fourth, the translation must be of the highest quality. We cannot cut corners or hire translators who lack competence. I will also assign a specialist to review the translated manuscripts, and they cannot be published if they do not pass the review.

Fifth, I want half of all profits; please understand this.

Kitagawa Hide listed five conditions in one go, covering aspects such as copyright term, revenue, and production.

He explained it in such detail that Sher realized he genuinely wanted to collaborate with the Faculty of Arts.

As is widely known, given his two near misses and one expulsion, it's no exaggeration to say that Hideaki Kitagawa's relationship with the Swedish Academy is extremely hostile.

After the Arno Club was completely wiped out, the Faculty of Arts did a lot of remedial work, including yesterday's open class, which was also a reconciliation letter they extended to Kitagawa Hide.

However, it's not quite enough for the Swedish Academy to unilaterally seek reconciliation.

The world's literary community is now watching Kitagawa Hide's reaction and thoughts. Only if he also takes the initiative to move towards reconciliation will it mean that the two sides will truly put aside their differences.

His willingness to teach was a first step toward reconciliation, but Pete Dimon's sudden condition yesterday has added uncertainty to the matter.

To this day, barring any special circumstances, it's practically the Swedish Academy and the Nobel Prize in Literature that are begging Hideaki Kitagawa to come and accept the award.

They couldn't be as assertive as winners of awards in other industries like the Oscars; they simply refused to reconcile or back down.

The biggest difference between literature and other industries is that it is a ladder leading human progress, the most basic and important spiritual food since the birth of mankind, and a "high-class" product recognized by everyone.

Movie and television stars, singers and dancers are at best actors created by capital. The real stars who can achieve success in all fields and be self-reliant have long since stepped out of the screen and become investors themselves.

Only writers.

They judge works solely by their quality and evaluate heroes solely by their ideas.

Hideaki Kitagawa himself is fine, and society is developing in the direction of information explosion. If he becomes the second Leo Tolstoy who can't win an award, then the Nobel Prize in Literature will be doomed.

Therefore, Sher was actually very annoyed by Pete Dimon's impulsive behavior yesterday.

He was really afraid that Kitagawa Hideaki would choose to quit.

But at this moment, when asked to have the Literature Academy Press take full responsibility for all his novels, Kitagawa Hide not only did not refuse, but also clearly listed five requirements.

That means he also wants to truly reconcile.

With a sigh of relief, Sher immediately nodded in agreement. As the chairman of the judging panel and the dean of the academy, he could make these decisions himself, and he figured no one would object.

These demands were made because Kitagawa Hide didn't want to be tricked a second time, nor did he want any unexpected problems to arise at the last minute.

As long as power remains firmly in his hands, it is highly unlikely that a situation like the one involving Tanizaki Ichiro, where he was used as the president of the Japanese Literature Society to make him a target of public criticism, will occur again.

As for asking for half of the profits, it's not that Kitagawa Hide cares about money.

When he first arrived, Kitagawa Hide was short of money, desperately needed money, and wanted to make a lot of money because he had no money at the time.

The family trust fund he and Mengzi set up in the United States now generates enough interest each year to ensure the two little ones and their families live a worry-free life.

Money is no longer as needed.

But just because he doesn't want it doesn't mean others don't.

Self-interest is always the best catalyst for alliances and the best tool for controlling others.

If Kitagawa Shu takes half the profits, then dividing the remaining half would be a bit tight for them. This would make things more efficient.

If things actually work out, we can offer some discounts to those who contributed.

Sher was unaware that Kitagawa Hide had such deep considerations. He simply felt that asking for half was not unreasonable, since the academy was asking for help and it was only right to make concessions.

After the two reached a verbal agreement, the other lifetime judges smiled with relief, happy that Kitagawa Hideaki and the Swedish Academy had officially reconciled.

The only one who felt a little uncomfortable was Göran Malmqvist.

He really wanted to take over the business, and ideally, he wanted Kitagawa Hide to grant exclusive rights to his publishing house.

But he also knew that Kitagawa Hide's fame was too great, and the business was too profitable for him to handle.

Now that Kitagawa Hide has been poached by the academy, he can only continue to pay attention to Gao Xingjian, hoping that the new book by this Chinese-French writer will make a splash.

noon the next day.

Hideki Kitagawa and Olivia bid farewell to the luminaries of the Swedish Academy and boarded planes to Tokyo and Paris, respectively.

Watching the scenery outside the window rush past and feeling the weightlessness after the plane suddenly took off, Kitagawa Hide let out a long breath.

The trip to the Swedish Academy went relatively smoothly; everything that needed to be done was done, and there weren't too many unexpected changes.

With his eyes closed and leaning back comfortably, Kitagawa Hide began to review the situation and plan for the future.

The Pete Dimon incident was a minor accident. Since he disgusted himself, he would make them regret messing with him by using an even more disgusting piece called "July 22nd".

He also had to write "Lolita" and the other two parts of the trilogy at the same time.

In addition, the RimWorld series, which is extremely popular in Japan, should also release a second installment soon.

Thinking about it this way, I realized that I was quite busy in the last year of the 1990s in the new world.

Kitagawa Hide smiled contentedly.

This busyness allowed him to rediscover his former feeling.

Perhaps after these works, my actual literary creation ability will reach a new level!

"I'm only twenty-seven years old. Ten, twenty, thirty, or even fifty years."

"Sooner or later, I will be able to win the Nobel Prize in Literature with my own hands!"

Kitagawa Hide firmly believed in this, and his passion for literary creation surged like never before.

Perhaps after the turn of the millennium, it's time to try creating entirely original works! (End of Chapter)