The morning sunlight poured through the small apartment window, scattering across the kitchen floor. Daniel sat at the table, quietly eating breakfast while his mother tidied up. He set down his chopsticks, took a deep breath, and said with calm precision:
"Mom… this Saturday, I'll be going to Café Nova. You don't need to worry about the details. Just… come with me."
His mother paused, hands frozen over a plate. "Café Nova? Why? What is it, Daniel?"
He smiled faintly, eyes calm and unwavering. "It's a surprise. You'll see soon."
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Meeting Day – Café Nova
Saturday arrived, warm and bright. The café buzzed with quiet chatter and clinking cups. Daniel entered confidently, his mother following behind him. Across the table, three representatives from BlueInk Publishing were waiting—two senior editors, a junior editor, and a writer assigned to evaluate new talent.
The moment their eyes fell on Daniel, all three froze, their mouths slightly agape. A ten-year-old boy. Calm. Confident. Poised. Not the older, professional-looking author they had imagined.
Editors blinked twice, then glanced at each other like cartoon characters seeing a ghost.
Exaggerated double-takes, sweat drops forming on foreheads, and little comic-style question marks floating over their heads.
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Publisher discussion
After initial shock, the meeting commenced. The publishers wanted to adapt Solo Leveling into both a novel and a manhwa. Daniel listened quietly, analyzing reactions, noting hesitation, excitement, and unspoken calculation.
Then, the topic of money came up. Daniel leaned forward, calm, cold, and businesslike:
"I expect 500 million KRW upfront for full rights to all chapters I've written," he said.
The moment the words left his mouth, the room froze in an exaggerated, almost cartoonish moment.
One editor literally knocked his pen off the table.
Another's glasses slid halfway down his nose as his eyes widened to the size of saucers.
The junior editor literally leaned back so far that he nearly toppled from his chair, a comic-style sweat drop dripping down his forehead.
Even Daniel's mother gasped softly, covering her mouth. Five hundred million? From a ten-year-old?
Daniel's gaze remained unshaken. "Once published, your revenue will be unstoppable. This is a guaranteed investment. The chapters I provide are complete. Your novel and manhwa adaptations will break records. No one can stop the story's success."
The publishers blinked again, cartoon-style beads of sweat appearing on their temples. One editor muttered under his breath, "A ten-year-old… is acting like a CEO…"
Another took a deep breath, trying to negotiate. "Perhaps we could… start with 300 million KRW upfront and add royalties…"
Daniel shook his head ever so slightly. "No. Full chapters, full upfront payment. The returns will dwarf this sum. This is a calculated risk, not a gamble."
The publishers' eyes widened further. Comically, one editor's jaw nearly dropped to the floor, another's chair squeaked under the tension.
Finally, one editor whispered, almost in disbelief, "He… he's ten. And he just said that…"
Daniel didn't flinch. "Also, I require royalties from all future sales."
A stunned silence. Then: "Accepted," said the senior editor, almost automatically.
Finally, a practical question. "And… how should the money be transferred?"
Daniel looked at his mother. Calm, confident, assured. "All money will be transferred to my mother's account. She is my parent and legal guardian. She will oversee the funds."
His mother's face turned pale, her hands trembling. Even the publishers exchanged glances, then nodded, their cartoon-style expressions finally relaxing. They wrote a cheque for 500 million KRW (approximately 400,000 USD) and finalized royalty contracts.
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After the publishers left
Once the meeting concluded, and the publishers departed, Daniel's mother clutched the cheque, tears welling in her eyes. "Daniel… when… when did you write this book? How… how did this happen?"
Daniel leaned back, calm and collected. "Mom… I wrote it quietly over time. Every chapter, every dungeon, every raid, every character was planned. This is just the first step. You remember my promise? We will become rich. You won't have to work ever again."
His mother's tears spilled over. She hugged him tightly, whispering through her tears: "My son… I am so proud of you. You've worked so hard…"
Daniel hugged her back, a faint smirk forming on his lips. Patience, planning, execution. Step by step, nothing can stop us.
Outside, sunlight glinted off the cheque in her hands, marking the first concrete step toward a future empire.
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