The days that followed were calm and uneventful. It was a routine of studying, delving into Potions, and working out. The one difference was that Dudley became more focused and serious about his Potions research, even asking Mrs. Figg to help him get hold of more complex books on potions and magical herbs. He also got a lot more dedicated and intense with his physical training. It was as if something had spurred him on, turning him into a relentless scholar.
This went on until the turn of a new year—a landmark year, and a very important one at that. The year was 1991, the year both Dudley and Harry would turn eleven. It was the year they might receive a letter of acceptance to Hogwarts.
"Harry, I have to take care of something today. You go on home," Dudley told Harry after school one afternoon. "If anyone asks, just say I'm playing ball with a classmate."
"Okay, D-bro," Harry replied obediently, shouldering his schoolbag and heading toward Privet Drive. After spending so much time with Dudley, he knew better than to ask questions.
After parting ways with Harry, Dudley found a deserted alley. He changed into a suit he'd prepared earlier and began applying makeup to his face. A little while later, an ordinary-looking young man emerged from the alley. It was a disguise, or rather, a skill called "Disguise," which Dudley had unlocked from his system. It was only at Level 1, but it did the trick. The system truly had every skill imaginable, with the exception of actual magic.
Dudley was meeting with a publisher today, and he was using this disguise to hide his true identity. Although the fact that "Mr. Jerry" was a minor might have been a good marketing gimmick, it would also bring a lot of unwanted trouble. Dudley didn't like trouble. Keeping a low profile was his rule.
Dudley met the publisher at a coffee shop, a detail he had insisted on. He had told them that he'd written the book there, sitting for a whole day with just one cup of coffee.
"Mr. Jerry, it's been a long time," said Jimmy, the publishing house employee, a slick, professional smile spreading across his face as he saw Dudley. The smile was blindingly bright. Thanks to Mr. Jerry, their publishing house was now swimming in money. It was no exaggeration to say that Dudley was their meal ticket.
After the usual small talk, they got down to business. "The Lord of the Rings, second book, was a huge success, as we expected."
"The royalties for this quarter have already been wired to your account. You can contact us anytime if you have any questions."
For the second book of The Lord of the Rings, Dudley had negotiated a profit-sharing deal, and the first book's contract had been revised to the same arrangement due to its massive sales. The phenomenal sales were no surprise; the world was starving for high-quality Western fantasy. The arrival of The Lord of the Rings was a shock to fantasy fans.
"When can we expect the manuscript for the third book, Mr. Jerry?" This was the real reason for the meeting. The success of the first two books had made countless people envious. The publisher was in a hurry; with the way things were going, they were practically printing money, and no one wanted to lose that.
Seeing Dudley hesitate, Jimmy grew anxious. "Are you worried about the profit-sharing? Don't worry, we can work it out." Even if their percentage was lower, the sheer number of sales meant they'd still make a killing. If their cash cow left, that would be a real disaster.
Dudley didn't rush to talk about the profits. "Mr. Jimmy, we've been working together for two years now, haven't we?"
"Yes, Mr. Jerry, we have." Jimmy's face filled with emotion. Who would have thought that a single risk would lead to such immense success?
"I think you're very capable. Would you be interested in working with me?" Dudley got straight to the point. "I want to... start a company."
Jimmy didn't immediately refuse or agree. He asked, "Doing what?"
"Selling merchandise."
You don't need to invent something complex and high-tech to make money. As long as you can build a brand, you can make a fortune just from royalties and merchandise sales. Take Harry Potter from Dudley's previous life, or Pokémon, which has the highest-earning IP in the world. As long as you keep the hype going and release new things every now and then, you can make money just by sitting on your behind.
Writing a novel, making it a hit, building a brand, and selling merchandise—this was Dudley's plan from the beginning, a backup plan in case he didn't get into Hogwarts. Even though he truly wanted to go there and learn magic, he had to be practical. He had spent his last life worrying about money, so he wasn't going to let that happen again. Even if he couldn't get into a magical school, he would at least achieve financial freedom.
Especially since he was in the Muggle world, where technology was rapidly catching up to the magical world's productivity. Technology was a serious threat to spellcasters. In some other worlds, a sniper rifle, a bag of bombs, and a special bullet could make even an elite mage run for their life. Dudley had always been curious about one thing: could a gun kill a wizard? In some worlds, a bullet could certainly kill a mage. He'd have to try it sometime.
Jimmy didn't agree right away. "Could you give me some time to think about it, Mr. Jerry?" he asked cautiously. He really wanted to say yes. After all, he just worked for the publishing house. They got rich, and he just got a slightly bigger bonus. The real money went to the people at the top. But following Mr. Jerry would be different. Given how popular The Lord of the Rings was, even a small piece of the action would be enough to set him up for life. He just wasn't sure if Dudley was serious.
Dudley nodded, giving him time to think. He knew Jimmy would agree eventually. No one turns down money.
The two then got into a heated but friendly negotiation over the profit-sharing for the third book, finally settling on a mutually agreeable percentage. They both left the meeting happy.
Dudley: "Pleasure doing business with you."
Jimmy: "Pleasure doing business with you."
Dudley watched Jimmy leave, then drained the glass of milk in front of him. Dudley wasn't a fan of coffee, whether it was espresso or Americano. So, he ordered a glass of milk at a coffee shop. In his words, he was still a growing boy and needed to get enough protein and calcium. It was a good point; this eleven-year-old boy, who was already nearly six feet tall, was definitely still growing.
A few days later, Dudley got a message from Jimmy saying he was in. So, with one providing the money and the other providing the work, they quickly bought a factory and started selling The Lord of the Rings merchandise. Just as Dudley had predicted, the merchandise sold like crazy in just a month. The most popular items were the hobbit-themed ones, though the girls went wild for the merchandise with the elven prince on it. The merchandise sales helped make the already popular books even more famous. Soon, The Lord of the Rings became a full-blown cultural phenomenon.